Bre and Everett have lived next to each other in Lake Jackson, Texas, for almost seven years. Everett is disabled and spends most of his time at home. Before Hurricane Beryl, they only interacted occasionally, but Bre kept a lookout to make sure everything was okay with her elderly neighbor. Sometimes, when the weather was nice, Everett would open his side window and watch Bre play frisbee in the yard with her German Shepherd, Wrigley.

Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Texas Gulf Coast on July 8th, with sustained winds exceeding 80 mph and torrential rainfall reaching 10-15 inches as it moved towards Houston from the Gulf Coast. Lake Jackson, a community of fewer than 30,000 people, was directly in the path of the storm. Being less than 10 miles from the coast, it took the brunt of Beryl's fury as it tore across the state. Its powerful winds felled trees and knocked out power lines citywide, causing widespread blackouts. By the time Beryl passed, over 2 million residents were without electricity.

After the storm passed, Bre was keen to check in on Everett and make sure he was safe. Thankfully, he was unharmed, but Bre and Everett's neighborhood was a mess of fallen trees, downed lines, and littered roads. As work crews and volunteer organizations rallied across the state to restore power and assist communities in the wake of the disaster, it was clear that it would take a lot of time and work to repair the damages and get the lights back on for the millions of impacted residents. For some residents, this meant temporary relocation and a lot of back-breaking yard work just to get their car out of the driveway. If you are young and capable, that's an inconvenience, but if you are elderly and disabled, that's not an option. Everett had no family or places to shelter from the sweltering summer temperatures. Grocery stores, gas stations, hospitals—everything was without power, and it seemed like everyone needed some kind of assistance.

Bre wanted to make sure Everett got the help he needed, but the trees and debris on his property required professional equipment. She was already assisting with disaster response and serving food to needy residents with TDECU, and she knew there had to be an organization that could help Everett get the work done. So, she took photos of his property and put his information into a Crisis Cleanup database to raise the alarm.

Minuteman Disaster Response found Bre's request, and an assessment crew was dispatched to check on Everett's needs. Being hard of hearing and confined to a walker, Everett was not able to answer the calls or hear the knocks of their crew, but Bre was determined. She came on-site and persistently reached out to Everett until the team was able to begin assisting him with cleanup. She even stayed and assisted with the work, looking out for her neighbor every step of the way!

Disasters are marked by destruction and loss, but also by extraordinary acts of kindness, love, and sacrifice. Even amid tragedy, there are smiles. It's beautiful to be part of these special moments and to have the privilege of serving alongside people like Bre, reminding us what it really looks like to “love your neighbor.”

Thanks, Bre Duarte!
And thanks to our dedicated group of MDR volunteers who did the work!

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