Local family still struggling since Matthew

CURRIE,NC (WWAY)– Hurricane season is officially here, but many families across the Cape Fear are still recovering from the last one.

For almost 9 months now, we’ve told you stories of families struggling since Hurricane Florence, but what about the families who hadn’t finished recovering from Hurricane Matthew when Florence arrived.

“I mean it’s like you’re devastated because it’s like everything you just fixed is now ruined again, but at least it wasn’t six feet high in the house. It was like 2 feet,” said Dawn Koser.

Koser lived in her Currie home for about 3 months when flood waters from Hurricane Matthew sent her family packing. It took more than a year before those repairs were finished.

“We were only in here for 8 or 9 months when Hurricane Florence came and we thought we did all this, it should be better now, it should be safe now,” said Koser.

She says her home was elevated 6 feet, but the neighboring Moores Creek and Black River still overflowed into her house.

Her family had to gut and treat their home again, and says it’s taken a toll on her husband.

“He busted his butt to clean everything and make everything right and try to do everything right by the house,” Koser said.

But one woman says she took steps to find grants to help people like the Kosers because money isn’t flowing in western Pender County.

“What people fail to realize is that Pender County is deemed a bedroom county so we’re residents here, but we also take our dollars to New Hanover,” said Kim Gore. “We work in New Hanover and we’re kind of like a forgotten area.”

Gore is with the Greater Currie Community Action Group. They have helped roughly 50 families in Pender County, including Dawn’s.

But now that hurricane season is here again, Koser is worried she may not be able to restore her home.

“It’s really scary because I mean you just don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Koser.

With a home stripped down to the sub floor and furniture all completely gone, Koser says her faith and her neighbors is what has kept her strong.

Koser also says the biggest challenge now is finding contractors to help her family move on to the next step in the recovery process.