CENTER POINT, Texas – There’s a new path forward for Mike Blackledge, whose Center Point home had the Guadalupe River rush through it on the morning of July 4th.
“I’ve been here for quite a few years, and I’ve had the water high enough where I could kayak under my house,” Blackledge said. “But I’ve never had it come through. And it broke through the back side of the house and started coming through and just washing through the house.”
Blackledge was able to get out in time, but he lost everything he had.
“Furniture, clothing, appliances — I lost one of my cats,” Blackledge said. “I lost virtually everything that wasn’t three feet off the ground.”
He has not been able to obtain the permits to start the rebuild process until his property has been raised above the floodplain.
Thursday marked a new start after a Center Point nonprofit, Annie’s Helping Hands, raised over $17,000 for Blackledge’s home to be elevated by another three feet, so he can get the permits he needs to continue to rebuild.
Mike has lived on the property for 30 years and has been eager to get back in and even more eager to start the rebuild process. Annie’s Helping Hands has made that possible.
The foundation hopes to help more homes in Center Point do the same, as the nonprofit will raise more money to give back.
Blackledge said there is nothing like the community of Center Point, how everyone has come together to help heal and rebuild.
“I’ve had a tremendous amount of community support, and it’s been overwhelming at that time,” he said.
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