By: Sean DeLancey, Jarrod Clay | Posted: July 1, 2016 | Source: WCHSTV
CLENDENIN, WV (WCHS/WVAH) — Four generations of a Clendenin family are putting their lives back together after losing everything to floodwaters.
When most people experience tragedy they lean on family for support, but this family can’t because they all lost their homes.
Clendenin is still in ruins. Hundreds of homes are gutted and no longer fit to live in.
Four of those homes in downtown Clendenin belong to the same family.
“It’s family that’s gotten us through this,” Tony Lucas said.
Tony Lucas stood in his son’s home Friday. The floors, walls and furniture are all in a pile on the lawn.
“This is the fourth generation of homes we’ve lost,” Lucas said.
Lucas is the third generation.
A block away, his home was ruined too. He watched as waters filled the first floor of his uncle Jack Suttle’s home. The rest of the family crammed in upstairs.
“In the night you hear things fall as the water gets higher and higher and cabinets fall over and you wonder what it’s like,” Suttle said.
Pieces of his home also sit in huge piles on the lawn with mud nearly a foot thick.
They haven’t even tried to clean his 89-year-old mother’s home, who moved into the area 67 years ago.
“She lost everything. All her clothes, everything is in there,” Suttle said.
The family lost four homes and nearly everything inside.
“If it wasn’t for god on our side we wouldn’t make it,” Lucas said.
Right now, all four generations are staying with Lucas’ brother in Pinch, who moved out of Clendenin just a few months ago.
They’re trying to rebuild, but they’re not sure that they will be able to rebuild in a place they’ve called home for so long.
“We’ll get things going again, and the sun will shine again on Clendenin,” Suttle said.
Like many others, this family is in need of help. A Go Fund Me account has been set up to help them out.
