South Carolina Man’s Home Renovated by Volunteers Two Years After Flood

The past year saw major flooding events throughout the South, and many residents are still in the process of recovering. From Texas to Florida, hurricanes and floods destroyed thousands of homes. Yet one South Carolina senior is proof that rebuilding after a flood is a long, painful process.

Back in 2015, a flood left 86-year-old Louis Scott’s home almost unliveable. His Columbia, South Carolina home was right in the path of floodwaters, leaving floors destroyed, a roof completely damaged, and mold growing throughout his living space.

A home that is 2,000 square feetand experiences a one-inch flood of water may face about $20,920 in damages.

The flood was enough to destroy everything in sight, making it hard for Scott to reside there in comfort. However, after two long and strenuous years, Scott is finally able to walk into his home in Columbia and feel like he is able to live there in comfort and peace.

Because while there were many stories of homes ruined by floods in 2017, there were just as many stories about neighbors coming together to help each other survive and rebuild.

And that’s exactly what happened for Louis Scott. For two months, volunteers from AmeriCorps and the St. Bernard Project worked tirelessly on Scott’s home trying to whip it back into shape. They replaced the flooring, installed a new roof, ripped out the carpet, and installed drywall and insulation. Earlier in December, the group of volunteers stopped by Scott’s home to celebrate with him as he stepped inside for the first time since its remodeling.

Rachel Pettit, the Executive Director of the St. Bernard Project of South Carolina, spoke with WLTX about the project and how the remodel helped Scott restart his life at the age of 86.

“At his age it would be difficult for him to do repairs himself or to finance a project that would allow him to turn his home back to the conditions it was in before the flood,” Pettit said.

The group of volunteers even brought a cake for Scott to the celebration. They were all so happy to be together for the common good. Scott’s daughter Sharon was also in attendance as they unveiled their work. She said that she used to spend every Friday night at her dad’s house, so it’s going to be nice to start doing that again.

“I’m so touched right now to be able to witness this day and to be here with my father to see the smile on his face and how he is so full about what has been done to his house,” Sharon said.

As for Scott, he’s extremely grateful and is happy to finally be back in his home again.