We lost our house to the Puyallup River

Hi, we are Shauna and Kevin Pelley, and we lost our home. On December 5th, 2023, the Puyallup River was predicted to reach flood stage, so Pierce County tore our house down to prevent it from falling into the river. The year before, the River channel changed direction and moved 100 feet, undermining the foundation of our "forever home." Hanging over the river, it was a hazard. We worked for more than a year to try to move the house to a safer location, but nothing worked in our favor.

Kevin retired from the Army after serving 25 years, including several combat deployments. Shauna took care of our daughter and could never put down roots, as we moved every few years. This house, on the beautiful Puyallup River was her reward. Bald eagles, deer, elk, heron, hummingbirds, and a pristine view gave this home a magic quality. Until the flood of the night of November 4th to 5th 2022 made it a nightmare. It was declared a Presidential Disaster, a State Disaster, and we had flood and homeowners' insurance, but we were not eligible for any relief.

So now, with the flood on December 5th, 2023 requiring Pierce County to demolish it, we are left without a house, holding the mortgage and a bill for the removal of the house. If FEMA pays our flood insurance claim, we will still have to come up with $505k to recover and move on.

We are so frustrated that the systems in place to protect homeowners all failed us. But that doesn't change the fact that we're left on our own. We appreciate any help you can give. All donations will go towards recovering from this disaster. Anything above our goal will go towards housing our neighbors in Pierce County, Washington