Emma Pearl Cole’s new Kerrville home is more than a house. It is a hard-won place of peace after a long and frightening journey through flood recovery.
On July 4, Pearl, her partner Larry, her granddaughter Anaya, and Pearl’s brother, who has special needs, were trapped inside their home as floodwaters rose fast around them. Larry first realized something was terribly wrong when he got out of bed in the early morning hours and found water up to his ankles. Within moments, the situation became urgent. The family climbed onto furniture as the water continued to rise. Anaya clung tightly to her grandmother’s neck, terrified.
Because the front porch had washed away, they could not safely get out on their own. A first responder finally reached them, came inside, and helped them escape. Pearl said they held onto him for dear life until he got them to safety.
In the days that followed, Pearl returned to the house again and again, even though she knew there was nothing she could do to save it. Watching volunteers trash what was left and haul away the debris was painful, but she felt she needed to be there.
Brittany Lehmann connected with Pearl early and walked closely with the family, helping them secure hotel stays, temporary housing, and eventually a path toward permanent stability. With support from The Community Foundation, TSAHC, FEMA funds, local churches, Arcadia Recovery Collaboration, Salvation Army, and many others, Pearl was able to purchase a beautiful home with no mortgage.
At her Welcome Home gathering, Pearl was surrounded by people who had helped make that possible, including Brittany, her realtor – Kasi Hennigan with Keller Williams, Pastor Joe Taylor, TSAHC representatives Donetta and Delia, and many dear friends.
Pearl’s gratitude filled the room. She said her family does not know where they would be without the people who walked alongside them. Now, her new home is furnished, beautiful, and full of signs that recovery is possible when a community refuses to let go.
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