Couple continues cleaning up, salvaging what was left after flooding destroyed home

By Liz Strzepa

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    BERLIN, Vermont (WPTZ) — Bit by bit, the O’Donnell family in Berlin and their friends are slowly finding out what belongings were destroyed and what was spared when flooding ravaged their home at the Berlin Mobile Home Park last week.

“All the homes are, unfortunately, a total loss,” said Kevin O’Donnell.

Kevin and his wife, Mary, have lived in their Berlin home since 2017.

They loved their home which was situated right near the water, which overflowed its banks last week.

“You see this happening to other people and you know it’s devastating, but when you’re in it, the devastation is just amplified so much,” said Kevin O’Donnell.

Now, 10 days later, mold is already showing up on the walls.

The O’Donnells have gone through the motions of contacting the Federal Emergency Management Agency and their flood insurance company.

“I just pray for the other folks who don’t have (flood insurance). It’s really devastating for them,” said Kevin O’Donnell.

As the O’Donnells work through this overwhelming ordeal, Mary O’Donnell is leaning on her faith.

“I love Jesus. That’s my strength,” she said.

Her husband, who is an Army veteran, also has a positive attitude despite losing some of his prized possessions.

“If I stay upset, nothing’s going to get done. (These are) just things,” said Kevin O’Donnell. “We have each other. We have our family. We’ll get back to where we were. Yeah, we lost some stuff, but we’ll get back to it.”

As they clean out their belongings, the people who can’t be replaced were right beside the O’Donnells on Thursday afternoon, helping them clean up and pack up what floodwaters left behind.

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