DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — It's been one week since an EF-2 tornado tore through a Delray Beach community, causing significant damage to several homes.
"All of a sudden it sounded like a train and I said, 'Oh my gosh, we're getting a tornado,'" resident Marcia Hayot said.
That was last week when WPTV first met Hayot.
"It just went 'shooosh.' It took 5-10 seconds. It had passed and did all the destruction," Hayot said.
The winds tore the roof of her screened-in patio off and caused the roof to her den to cave in.
"Since you were out last week, we have had all the furniture in the den removed," she said. "All our personal effects are now sitting in our living room in boxes."
Hayot told WPTV the repairs could cost almost $40,000. She and her husband are now trying to raise money through a GoFundMe page because they don't have homeowners insurance.
"It's a pricey rebuild. First, we gotta get a new roof. Then we can work on the ceiling and reconstructing the den," Hayot said. "The patio, I'm not fully enclosing again, it's prohibitively expensive."
It all adds up, which is why insurance experts have some reminders for people affected by the storm.
"A lot of times once there's damage after a hurricane, homeowners will receive calls from contractors or roofing companies," Sha'Ron James, a former insurance consumer advocate, said.
James told WPTV it's important to vet these callers as post-storm repair scams are always a concern.
"Get multiple quotes and wait for FEMA," James said.
Unfortunately for Hayot, Palm Beach County is currently not on the list of Florida counties eligible for FEMA assistance.
She's hoping and praying that changes.
"No one has come down to see the extensive damage here," Hayot said. "I mean, what are we, the forgotten county?"
Click here if you would like to donate to Hayot's GoFundMe Page.
