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Disaster Strikes Twice for Iowa Family

CBS News

Posted: 2008-06-19 12:22:22

Filed Under: Nation News, Natural Disaster

NEW HARTFORD, Iowa (June 19) - It's a good thing Gina Rebitz and Bruce Recker can still make each other happy, because they haven't had much to smile about lately.

"We're not homeless people, but in reality, like I was telling him, we actually are homeless," Rebitz told CBS News correspondent Seth Doane.

They're riding donated bikes, wearing someone else's clothing and, along with Gina's daughter, living in a Red Cross shelter - and feeling helpless.

"The biggest thing is I can't take care of the girls like I should be," Recker said.

"You feel like you can't take care of them?" Doane asked.

"I can't," he said.

They've been at the shelter more than a week now - with nowhere to go.

They had just moved into a trailer in New Hartford, Iowa, where they only spent one dry night before the Cedar River flowed right into their living room, destroying property and possessions.

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The family stacked what they could, leaving the home a frantic mess and their minds flooded with the question - what's next?

"I've never been put in a situation like this - I really don't know what to do," Recker said. "Sometimes you want to get screaming mad, but that ain't gonna do no good."

Working the second shift together at a food-processing plant, the family had been living comfortably - even putting money aside.

"We weren't rich by no means, but in a way we was, too, at the same time," Recker said.

That was before Mother Nature dealt them a one-two punch - just a few weeks before the water, there was the wind.

The house they were living in before they moved into the trailer was their dream home. And they were planning to buy it - until a Memorial Day tornado blew it, and their other dreams, away.

"There was a stairwell that led up into the kids' rooms. It was right here above us," Rebitz said.

"There was a second floor?" Doane asked.

"There was a second floor, yeah," she said.

They'd been running errands when the tornado tore through.

"Things were literally picked up?" Doane asked.

"Picked up!" Rebitz said. "Thrown! Just everything. I'm so thankful we weren't home. We would have been killed."

They scoured through the rubble looking for remnants of the life they lost.

"My cat, my house, my life, just everything is gone," she said.

With no insurance, most of their savings has been wiped out. They used it to replace what they had lost the first time. And now, that's all gone, too.

"It's kind of devastating. It's not fair," Recker said. "I don't think it's fair."

"Can you start over?" Doane asked.

"You have to start over again," Recker said.

With two homes destroyed, and almost nothing left in the bank, they are starting over - and praying Mother Nature doesn't stop them again.

Copyright 2008, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

2008-06-19 12:10:40

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156 comments

lukfor4 06:58:51 AM Jun 20 2008

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Natures fighting back.

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squeegamus 12:52:20 AM Jun 20 2008

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j00kmeb1iotch, why don't you send your FREE grocery gift card to these people who could really use it, you insensitive LS.

stargazer33154 11:44:30 PM Jun 19 2008

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crazychem..I agree with everything you said..II live in Illinois, don't live onflood plain either..but we had lot of snow this winter, a very wet early spring and 4 weeks of solid heavy rain

sulandherb 11:43:20 PM Jun 19 2008

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You think there's a "safe" place? Well, pumkin, maybe you'll find out otherwise.

stargazer33154 11:29:23 PM Jun 19 2008

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sorry but every state has some sort of disaster..wildfires, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, severe winter weather,volcanos,droughts and flooding..just where do you suggest everyone move to?

zanezanthus 11:04:51 PM Jun 19 2008

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jt44mag is right. This is going to keep on happening. It's best to move out of areas that are prone to natural disasters. Global warming is upon us. These type of events are going to keep happening and with greater ferocity.

bsholden 10:52:12 PM Jun 19 2008

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"THAT'S what happens when you build your house on a flood plain, in tornado alley..."
**** u. In less than three years these folks will have rebuilt. Compare and contrast to NO where the "victims" are still sucking on the publuc teat.

crazychem4 10:48:05 PM Jun 19 2008

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It is said that people should not build in a flood plain. The record crest for the Cedar River was 22 feet and that was 79 years ago this year it crested at 32 feet that is not a flood plain. Almost anywhere can flood when you keep getting hit with the rain like we did. Almost 24 inches of rain in 2 weeks that is 6 months worth in some places. And to build in tornado alley? Their would be no homes in about 20 states with that comment and every state in the US is prone to Tornados.