PORT ARANSAS, Texas – Texans who live near areas where Hurricane Harvey first made landfall two weeks ago are still dealing with their own heartache.
Folks in the small town are not wasting any time rebuilding the coastal community, but the emotional toll still is sinking in.
“I’m still crying every day. Even though it's getting cleaned up and it's better, it still hasn't sunk in,” Barbara Schaefer said.
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As Harvey destroyed much of Port Aransas, Lee and Barbara Schaefers were able to see some of the destruction to their home in real time
“We did have our cameras working up until about 6 o'clock and we saw about 70 mph winds,” Lee Schaefer said. “We thought maybe that was all the damage that was done until we came and saw that an eight-ton roof hit us on the side of the house.”
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The Category 4 storm roared ashore with 130 mph winds. For the Schaefers, a detached roof left a gaping hole in their Banyan Beach home. Storm water made it look as if their pool was filled with tar and their home has severe water damage, forcing them to gut the walls and temporarily move into their RV.
When they tallied up the losses they estimate damage is around $250,000.
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The city manager believe 80 percent of the families that left for the storm have since returned. What they are returning to varies from home to home.
"We do a lot of the gutting. The drywall. We do a lot of the siding, doors, windows, pretty much everything you could think of to the exterior of the house,” Mike Ennis said.
Ennis is with a contracting company that has been on the island helping homeowners rebuild their lives.
Texans helping Texans, determined to prove they’re stronger than even one of the most catastrophic storms ever.
"Texas proud, God spared those and has allowed us to come in." said Kenny Mantooth, also with Texas Professional Exteriors.
Construction workers are not the only ones volunteering their time in Port Aransas. A KSAT crew saw several food trucks from across the state donating hot meals. Residents said the compassion is appreciated throughout the city.
