GLADEWATER, Texas — Strong winds and storms swept through East Texas nearly a month ago, causing damage to all portions of the area. While most communities have gotten relief, one Gladewater couple is still suffering from debris.
Neighbors are lending a helping hand to a man they lovingly refer to as Mr. Billy, who's got overgrown vegetation in his yard and tree trunks on his roof from the storms three weeks ago. Mr. Billy has tried to fix the problem himself, but it’s simply too tall a task.
Luckily, his neighbors want to help. Across the street, Bruce Wilson and his wife posted on local Facebook pages asking for people to come assist Mr. Billy, and they’ve been pleasantly surprised by the community’s response.
"These two gentlemen got here this morning, we didn’t call them," Wilson said. "They just heard he had a need, and there are others in line. So they’ve got trucks and equipment, and they’re ready to help."
Wilson said that it’ll likely take 15 to 20 people with multiple trucks to clear Mr. Billy’s land. In addition to the Facebook post asking for people to come help, the Wilsons have also considered creating a GoFundMe page to finance a potential rebuild of Mr. Billy’s roof.
Some community members visited Mr. Billy on Friday to assess the situation, and they’re planning to come back with more men and more supplies on Sunday.