Last month, Hurricane Florence swept through Southeastern North Carolina, creating devastating flooding and damage that took 43 lives and forever changed so many more. Before Florence made landfall, media outlets were calling it the “storm of a lifetime.” Even those have resided in this area for decades wrestled with the decision of whether to leave or stay.

Jennifer Stenerson, of Rocky Point, is one of those people. Stenerson, a teacher, wife, and mother of three, shared that she and her husband, Chris, “had a hard time deciding what to do.” The couple has called North Carolina home for the last twenty years. Jennifer has worked for the last 19 years in the New Hanover and Pender County school systems. Chris is a Captain in the Wilmington Fire Department (WFD).

When it came time to make a plan for how their family would face the hurricane, the Stenersons knew that they would be separated no matter what. As a fire captain and member of the firefighters association (IAFF) disaster relief, Chris would have to work during and after the storm. Ultimately, Jennifer and her three kids (ages 16, 13, and 9) went to stay with a nearby friend who would otherwise be alone, but not before extensively prepping their home for what was to come. Although she is only beginning to process the ordeal, Jennifer was gracious enough to give the Cape Fear Family Magazine an inside look at what she and her family endured during Hurricane Florence, and how they’re recovering.

Initially, Jennifer expressed hesitance about being interviewed, stating that others had lost much more than she and her family had. But, as a community, we’re all in this together and each of our stories matter. Here is Jennifer’s.

Q: How did you prepare for the storm?

“We strapped things down and moved everything we could into a garage we have over at our small farm. We moved the tractor under the house along with some other equipment because we did not have flooding under the house during Hurricane Matthew.

It’s important to mention that our house is on pilings. We have a room under the house we refer to as the mud room which was also a place we put a great deal of our personal belongings. We took two cows to a friend’s farm and brought my daughter’s rabbit and our dog.”

Q: What were some of the most frightening parts of this weather event?

“We lost power Friday early morning as the worst of the storm rolled through. Chris was able to leave work Saturday morning to empty the freezer and fridge. While he was there, he looked out and saw white caps coming up our driveway and knew flooding was coming very quickly and his chances of getting out of there were deteriorating quickly. He barely managed to get his truck across the flooded creek. I was a wreck waiting to hear from him that afternoon. We had some scary moments while we hunkered down in the bathroom because of many tornado warnings.”

Q: How did your home fare?

“Chris went to check on our house after a few days. To get to the house we had to canoe across the “river” that was across 210, then have a friend pick us up with the canoe, then drive down to our canoe to a jon boat, then boat to the house. The first time I saw it I was just shocked. Everything under the house was under water, everything in the garage/shed was under water, and the same for the mud room. My parents have a small second home on our property and they were close to having water in the house. The water was still rising. The next time we went back, water was in my parents’ house. The anxiety of waiting for that water to stop rising was the worst part of the whole situation. The house will not be livable for a long time due to the infrastructure of the house needing to be repaired. Financially, we have taken a big hit, but we will get through it.”

Q: What has helped you cope?

“At the same time that we were waiting for the water to stop, we got involved with our church’s effort to help those affected by the storm who live in the area around our church in downtown Wilmington. The kids helped by providing childcare and delivering food and water to those in need around the church. It felt so great to help others and it also took our minds off what was happening at our own home. I really don’t know how anyone could go through something like this without faith in God and a church family who is praying for you and with you.”

Q: What was it like not being able to weather the storm with your husband?

“There were times that were really difficult because we didn’t see Chris for days. He was completely exhausted but I know him, and he is going to help anyone who needs help. That’s just who he is and I wouldn’t change that about him for a second. Firefighters have an amazing brotherhood that extends outside just the local WFD. When we realized all the work that had to be done [with the house], it was all so overwhelming. But as soon as the guys heard, they all jumped in their canoes and came to our flooded property and started ripping out carpets and flooring and Sheetrock. It was such a comfort knowing that they would all be there to help us through. Between the WFD, our church family, and my amazing colleagues and friends from the past and present, I have been able to stay strong and positive. That hasn’t been always. I have cried so many tears in the last two weeks, but these people have allowed me to have a lot of laughs and smiles and positivity as well.”

Q: What has it been like seeing your community go through this?

“It has been incredibly difficult seeing all the loss this community has suffered. There are fellow firefighters who have lost all they own. The neighborhood we used to live in, Cross Creek, has suffered so much with houses being completely under water, and even the family right across the street from us in our neighborhood lost everything. And of course, lives were lost during the storm which is just heart breaking.

But what I notice the most, are the heroes who are helping. Not just the first responders, but everyone who is donating needed items, people pitching in with their special talents, traveling from afar to bring power to people they don’t know, and countless others who keep saying, how can I help? What do you need? When do you need me? It brings tears to my eyes when I think about all the people helping each other. It’s just amazing. I am speechless by the outreach of my friends on a never-ending basis.”

Q: What has been the hardest part about this experience?

“I think one of the most difficult things has been not being able to just go home. There was so much going on the first few days after the storm when we were helping and just surviving. It hit me one day, and I just said to my husband through a lot of tears, I want to go home. I just look forward to being comfortable in my home and letting my dog out to run around without a leash. We have a long road of rebuilding physically, financially, and emotionally. I remember when I was a kid someone telling me that time heals all. I do believe this is true but I would also add to that that faith heals all. I do think we will adapt to a new normal as well. You can’t have a catastrophic disaster without changing the way people think and behave and live their lives. I feel like people will gradually merge the old and the new.”

Q:  How have you talked to your children about it all?

“We have discussed [with our children] how others have lost more than we have and that the most important thing that we have is each other. My son who is nine, didn’t quite get this when he learned that we saw his rollerblade floating around in the water. We were shocked that he got so upset, but realized that that was something really important to him and it made it real to him. It was a good way for us to talk about “things” and that it’s ok to be upset about losing things, but that there are more important things to focus on in our lives.

I think the message I would like to share [with readers] is the power of kindness, generosity, friendship, and faith doesn’t need to end here. Just think about what we could accomplish as a community if we took care of each other like this all the time. Now we know we can, so let’s keep it going.”

Thank you so much for sharing, Jennifer. May your heartfelt, inspiring words help us all continue to move forward with clasped hands and open hearts.