ELLABELL, Ga. (WSAV) — While the holidays are a joyful time for many, some in our area are still struggling meet their basic needs after hurricane season.
One woman in Bryan County is living in a trailer that was destroyed in Tropical Storm Debby, and she says she's still unable to get the help that she needs with winter weather on the horizon.
"I didn't have anywhere to go," Antonie Barratta said. "So, we came back and started cleaning this house to try and get it to where we can live in it. So far, we live in the living room and kitchen. The whole back bedroom is ripped out. We don't have anybody to help us."
Barratta said she and her roommate's old lives, and their home, were completely destroyed this year.
"My husband passed away," she said. "Her husband passed away. So, it's just two widows living in a house with a dog and cats and no other options. We've ripped out carpets and flooring and tiles and walls. Some windows that are back there are broken and need to be replaced. My plumbing is not proper."
The Elabell resident said she did evacuate when the flood water first came through.
Search suspended for 2 missing boaters near Brunswick: Coast Guard says
"The water from Tropical Storm Debby was up to my chest when we left, and it still came up."
Then she spent several weeks in a hotel.
"Any other normal person wouldn't have come here and stayed," she said. "To be honest, she was like, 'What are we doing?' we don't - I don't want everyone else to keep paying for my hotel room. I felt bad after 5 weeks."
Barratta said she has applied for federal assistance
"I called last week. I've been checking on it. They said they didn't know. It was under review. They said call back in a week. I called back today, and they said it was still under review. I don't understand."
At this point, the widow said that she believes she and her roommate have exhausted all their options.
"It's been three months," she said. "So, everybody seems to have gotten their housing or supplies, and they were able to fix things, and that's just not the case."
Despite all her struggles, Barratta said that she has no choice but to stay positive and to keep the family she still has close for the holidays.
"I'm still going to put up my Christmas tree this year. I don't care where it goes. If we stick it in the middle of the room, I don't care. We're going to put one up," she said. "On Thanksgiving, we had 27 people, and I didn't expect that. We couldn't breathe, there was no elbow room. You turned around, there was another person in your face. But it was a good…Tuesday was a good Thanksgiving."
Barratta and her roommate have started a GoFundMe for repairs. If you would like to donate, you can do that here.
