A Fort Pierce woman is displaced and calling for help after a lightning strike tore through her home, leaving her with broken windows, heavy damage, and almost nothing left.<\/p>\n
Last month, Rosa Rivera returned home from getting a haircut at church, a utility worker stopped her outside.<\/p>\n
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“When I go back home, I see, the utility guy tells me, hey \u2014 I think your house is on fire,” Rivera said.<\/p>\n
St. Lucie County District Firefighters rushed to put out the flames. Rivera was told a lightning strike caused the fire.<\/p>\n
Walking into her damaged home left her stunned. “I was in shock, I’m thinking that’s just a dream, but no, it’s reality,” Rivera said.<\/p>\n
Rivera lost clothes, furniture and irreplaceable personal belongings \u2014 including photos of her late son. “My son’s pictures. My son passed away three years ago,” Rivera said.<\/p>\n
The damage left Rivera displaced. She is uninsured and is now staying at her nephew’s home while she rebuilds. “I’m truly grateful for him,” Rivera said.”Because without him, I don’t know where I would be.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rivera, who is also disabled, was recovering from neck fusion surgery the same week she lost her home. “It’s a lot that I’m dealing with. It’s very, very overwhelming,” Rivera said.<\/p>\n
A memorial outside the damaged home is one of the few things Rivera has left that cannot be replaced.<\/p>\n
Despite everything, Rivera said she is holding onto one thing: gratitude that she was not inside when the fire broke out.<\/p>\n
“It’s a blessing that I was not home,” Rivera said. “And I was in a safe place instead of being at home to where something could’ve possibly happened to me.\u201d<\/p>\n