Cape Coral tornado victims find relief in good deeds

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla.- Victims of the EF2 tornado that hit Cape Coral are still struggling to stay afloat.

Some families lost homes, valuables and basic necessities in the storm that destroyed homes two weeks ago.

“When you go to sleep at night, you think about everything that’s happened, but then you think about how you need to be strong for your kids,” said Heidi Owens.

Owens and her four young boys were displaced after the tornado, and are still being forced to look for basic needs for their family, at donations like Saturday’s event at Grace Community Center.

“When we came in here, it was kind of overwhelming,” she said. “To see what people have donated and that this community really cares about us, so it really helps us out.”

She says her family lost the home they lived in for four years. It was the home her sons grew up in.

Tim and Desiree Slager also lost their home in the storm, and have been constantly moving between trailers and temporary homes ever since. They have an 11-month-old son, Paedyn.

“I’m cynical and I think there’s a lot of bad stuff that happens in the world. But it’s good to see that people are coming together and helping and kind of regrowing the community.”

Saturday, the family got the gift of security, according to Slager.

A homeowner, who asked not to be named, asked his realtor to rent a condo he had for sale, to the Slager family. The family will still be paying to live at the home, but at a much lower rate, which helps Slager and his family work to get back to normal.

“”We really appreciate it,” said Slager .”We’ve been kind of bouncing from place to place, so it’s gonna give us time to find our feet and figure out what’s next.”

The family moved in Saturday evening.

It’s stories like these that inspire donation organizer Jillian Mullins.

“I have been in homes where people don’t have windows. I have been in homes where people were too humble to take anything, but they desperately needed it.”

Mullins has organized three donation events since the first tornado touched down in southwest Cape Coral. She says she may not have much to give herself, but is proud to see hundreds of donations pile in from residents who were willing to help.

“People two hours away have come in and everyone has come together for this.” said Mullins “It truly was not just me, it was everyone.”

She says families like the Slagers and Owens both deserve to find peace, after such a devastating storm.