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Hurricane Ian Impacts: Burlington church community rallies around couple that lost everything

A couple recently moved from the Triad to Ft. Myers, Florida. Hurricane Ian destroyed everything they own.

BURLINGTON, N.C. — The devastation is widespread in Florida. The Ft. Myers area was especially hit hard, as Hurricane Ian first made landfall as a Category 4 storm. 

A couple from the Triad just moved there six days ago, and they've already lost it all.

We found out how their old neighbors and church members are coming together to help during this time of devastation. 

Cheryl & Doug McCauley's son Donnie and his family of five just moved to Ft. Myers last week, and now they have nothing. 

"It was heart-wrenching, I must have made at least 100 phone calls and sent countless text messages, all went unanswered...just wanting to hear their voices to know that they were alive. It meant the world to me to hear their voices saying we're OK. As a mother, hearing we have to tie ourselves together to get somewhere safe in a hurricane in 130 mph winds is heartbreaking," Cheryl said. She said they went 12 hours without communication with her son and his family. 

After finally getting in contact with Donnie early Thursday morning, the McCauleys began trying to figure out how they could get help to their family. 

"We were thinking what we could do to help. So my husband talked to the pastor, and pastor (Kenneth Godair) offered to pay for the UHaul, but we need to fill it, so we need to fill it. So we're looking for donations to fill the truck," they said. 

However, Cheryl & Doug have come up with a plan not only to assist their family but the entire Ft. Myers community. 

"To see some of the pictures coming out of the area. Man, I can't imagine trying to live through that. Then to wake up and lose everything you've got. I thought, what can we do as a church?"

So Pastor Godair, the McCauleys, and the entire World of Pentecost church family will be hosting a 'fill the truck' donation event for the people of southwest Florida.

Saturday, October 1, 2022, there will be a UHaul parked in the church's parking lot (located at 1935 Hanford Rd, Burlington, NC, 27216) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will collect disaster relief supplies to show southwest Florida that the Triad loves them. 

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