Jason Futch
reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com
A local Suwannee County resident continues to rebuild two months after a devastating fire destroyed his home and surrounding property. Jay Crouch, who is 70-years-old, lost his home, vehicles and utilities. The fire also disconnected power and water from the homes of Crouch’s daughter, Rebecca Word and her sister, who lived on the same property. It is believed that an electrical fire was the root of the problem, which engulfed the log home in flames, burning it down within 12 minutes. Two months later, Crouch is still on the road to recovery at the property, as his temporary home is continuing renovations. “There is still work to do, but he should be able to move in within a week or so,” Word said. Crouch will live in the temporary home until he can rebuild his home. According to Word, the insurance company has since established that the house had cost more than the insurance would cover, which means that if he chose to rebuild his home, it would likely not be the same size it was when it was originally built. As for the cleanup, the work continues. Word said that the foundation on the property will still need to be removed, as well as existing debris on the property, which will be a costly job. “It will be around $2,000,” Word said. “That will be our biggest need right now.” She added that some of the expenses the family has incurred have been coming out of Crouch’s life savings. So far, Crouch’s family has come together to help with the remodeling of the trailer that Crouch will be moving into. While he has been waiting for the remodel to finish, he has been staying with a friend. The family continues to accept donations for home needs, such as laundry detergent and dish soap and has a GoFundMe page up for help with work on the property until insurance can begin to cover the costs associated with rebuilding. But for now, it continues to be a process for those on the Holler Homestead. They are also continuing to accept Lowe’s and Walmart gift cards to help with rebuilding. Crouch, despite the struggles he continues to face, is getting by, according to Word. “He is so grateful for all the help he has received,” she said. She stated that Crouch continues to maintain a positive outlook, something that most people who have been in his shoes likely would not be able to keep. “He says he is too busy to be upset,” Word said. Those who wish to donate to CashApp may do so by sending donations to $TheHollerHomstead. Additionally, those who wish to donate via GoFundMe may do so by scanning the QR code accompanying this article.