KERRVILLE, Texas – This Thanksgiving, an Ingram/Hunt couple said they are grateful to be alive and relieved by community help that has brought them closer to a new start, but they say many families like theirs won’t be spending the holiday at home after the Hill Country floods on July 4 destroyed all their belongings.
Cindy and Ken Collier talked about losing the home Cindy had lived in since she was 18, when it was wiped away during flooding on July 4. The couple was only two years away from retirement, with the home and cars paid off.
“The ride going down the river was terrifying. The ride afterwards [was] terrifying,” Cindy said.
Since that day, Cindy, Ken, and other victims have been knocking on doors asking for help obtaining important documents, securing temporary housing, and raising money to start over.
“It’s hard when someone says, ‘What do you need?’ Well, if your whole house got wiped away, think what would you need, you know? Everything,” Cindy Collier said. “Everybody has a story. Yeah, it’s a very traumatic story.”
The Colliers met KSAT at the Kerrville Cross, where small wooden crosses bear the names of flood victims, including their neighbor.
“He’s right there. I’ve known him since he was a little baby, a little boy. He played with my kids,” Cindy said.
In their grief, the family looks forward. Their home insurance helped pay for land in Harper, Texas, and a donated mobile home is being put in. The Colliers said they expect to move in by the end of the year, though their retirement plans have been postponed.
“Don’t forget about all these people. People are still in RVs. They still need help. And if you could donate money to Trinity Baptist Church for all these victims,” Cindy urged.
Many Hill Country churches, including Trinity Baptist Church, are still accepting donations. Make sure you make those donations specifically for flood victims. The Colliers say they need a few thousand dollars more to settle into their new home.
Trinity Baptist Church is located at 800 Jackson Road, Kerrville, Texas; its phone number is (830) 895-0100.