Help the Roosa family get back home

Hi friends and family,

It is hard for our family to ask for help but I am reaching out on behalf of my brother, Brandon, my sis in law, Kristen, and my sweet nieces and nephew as his family experienced an unfortunate emergency on Christmas evening with the recent winter storms that ravaged most of the United States this past week.

It was late Christmas afternoon when Zack, my mom and I stopped by their home to hang out with my sweet nieces and nephew to see what Santa brought. We were sitting around the tree listening to what Ellie (3), Leilani (7), Henry (12) and Brylee (14) received from Santa when the living room ceiling burst with water, down the bookshelves and onto the carpet.

Brandon and his family live in Richmond, Indiana where the weather saw 5 straight days of negative double-digit degree weather leading up to Christmas. His house is 82 years old and usually manageable in the winter as long as you keep the water running ever so slightly in the bathrooms. Unfortunately, this year was a bit different and the water running trick didn’t exactly work as planned.

What should have taken a minute or less to shut the water off took more than 45 minutes thanks in part to an old, rusted, and hidden water supply line. In those 45 minutes his living room, adjoining bedroom and basement were ruined. The ceiling came crashing down, the power was cut, the carpet and hardwood floors underneath were ruined and the basement was full of water with most of their possessions destroyed in the process. All on Christmas Day.

Almost a week later, my brother and his family are still living temporarily at a local hotel as the work has been dragged to a halt with the holiday schedule. As of this posting, the water cannot be restored until January 3rd with the repairs to begin soon after.

Due to a monthly home insurance policy of $400+ each month and providing for a family of 6, he had lapsed on his home insurance and because he wasn't covered, the burden falls entirely on him. I hate to see his family struggling right now and I know he would never ask for help so I am asking for help for Brandon and his family.

We have no clue of the entirety of the damages yet but in a week, they have already amassed well over $2,500 in hotels, dining and initial plumbing inspections with thousands more in damages to follow. Not to mention, I hate that my nieces and nephew have been displaced from their home and without getting the repairs done, mold cleaned out, etc - I don't know when they will get home again.

We understand it could have been so much worse. It’s difficult to ask for help when so many are struggling in the aftermath of this storm. Please help if you are able so we can get my younger brother and his family back on their feet. Thank you so much and God bless you. Happy New Year!