{"id":501,"date":"2016-12-06T21:29:26","date_gmt":"2016-12-06T21:29:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/?p=501"},"modified":"2016-12-13T20:36:20","modified_gmt":"2016-12-13T20:36:20","slug":"after-exhausting-rebuild-couple-moves-back-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/2016\/12\/06\/after-exhausting-rebuild-couple-moves-back-home\/","title":{"rendered":"After Exhausting Rebuild, Couple Moves Back Home"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>It took 10 long months to put Alfredo and Anthony Fowler-Rainone\u2019s home back together. They waited out the construction in a North Dallas hotel with their three dogs. Now, they\u2019ve moved back in &#8212; and, a year after the tornado, they barely recognize their neighborhood.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>On the day after Christmas last year, a tornado tore through Rowlett, ripping apart houses and destroying businesses. Since then, Anthony Fowler-Rainone has watched the houses in his neighborhood go through several phases of being rebuilt \u2014 or not.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat was totally demoed; that was down to the concrete,&#8221; Anthony says about one house. &#8220;They built a safe room and put hurricane straps. It\u2019s pretty much a fortress. The next two lots \u2014 they were sold. The house with all the tarps on it \u2014 absolutely nothing\u2019s been done with that house.\u201d<\/p>\n<!-- meta slider -->\n<div style=\"max-width: 1000px;\" class=\"metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-507 ml-slider\">\n    \n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_507\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_507\">\n            <ul class=\"slides\">\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-59 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/02\/TornadoRebuilding9-1000x800.jpg\" height=\"800\" width=\"1000\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-507 slide-59\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">From left: The home of Alfredo and Anthony Fowler-Rainone of Rowlett was damaged in the December tornadoes. This photo was taken in February. Photo\/Lara Solt\r\n<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-448 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone15-1000x800.jpg\" height=\"800\" width=\"1000\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-507 slide-448\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Alfredo Fowler-Rainone, right, and Anthony Fowler-Rainone, left, have moved back into their home. This photo was taken in November. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n        var metaslider_507 = function($) {\n            $('#metaslider_507').addClass('flexslider'); \/\/ theme\/plugin conflict avoidance\n            $('#metaslider_507').flexslider({ \n                slideshowSpeed:3000,\n                animation:\"fade\",\n                controlNav:true,\n                directionNav:true,\n                pauseOnHover:true,\n                direction:\"horizontal\",\n                reverse:false,\n                animationSpeed:600,\n                prevText:\"&lt;\",\n                nextText:\"&gt;\",\n                slideshow:true\n            });\n        };\n        var timer_metaslider_507 = function() {\n            var slider = !window.jQuery ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_507, 100) : !jQuery.isReady ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_507, 1) : metaslider_507(window.jQuery);\n        };\n        timer_metaslider_507();\n    <\/script>\n<\/div>\n<!--\/\/ meta slider-->\n<p>Anthony points out the changes from his front steps. Most of the trees are gone. Some houses are still boarded up and many lots feature nothing but concrete slabs.<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s lived on this block for more than 30 years. A decade ago, his husband Alfredo joined him. The tornado changed a lot.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is very little resemblance here,&#8221; Anthony says. &#8220;Very few of the same people are here as a matter of fact.\u201d<\/p>\n<h5>A frustrating process<\/h5>\n<p>That\u2019s because so many families opted not to rebuild, and instead, decided to sell. About halfway through the construction on their house, Alfredo wondered if they should have done the same thing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen I got to the point where I was like we should\u2019ve just sold the lot and moved on,&#8221; Alfredo says. I mean, it felt like we were never going to get in here again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They did, and just a few weeks after getting the keys, the place looks great. Paintings on the wall, wedding photos perfectly arranged, crystal back in the cabinets. It\u2019s pristine. You would never know how much was destroyed on Dec. 26 last year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe lost, I think it was, $60,000 of personal content,&#8221; Anthony says.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"mt-insert\"><\/p>\n<p><div id=\"attachment_435\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 5760px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-435 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone2.jpg\" width=\"5760\" height=\"3840\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone2.jpg 5760w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone2-1360x907.jpg 1360w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone2-800x533.jpg 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone2-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 5760px) 100vw, 5760px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 5760px\" >Homes across the street from the home of Alfredo and Anthony Fowler-Rainone. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n<p><\/figure>\n<div class=\"quotemark \">\u201cThere\u2019s no way to even get it through anybody\u2019s head how stressful this is.&#8221; <div class=\"quote-source\">Alfredo Fowler-Rainone, tornado survivor<\/div><div class=\"quote-rating-0\"><\/div><\/div>\n<p>Both men are HIV positive and on disability. They had what they thought was enough homeowners insurance, but soon realized their policy wouldn\u2019t cover the entire rebuild and all the possessions they lost. To put their house back together, they skimped on some of the finishes to stay on budget.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe curtains and window coverings,&#8221; Anthony says. &#8220;Some of the furnishings, we just continue using what\u2019s been damaged.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even though it all worked out, Alfredo says the exhausting process is something he wouldn\u2019t wish on anyone.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s no way to even get it through anybody\u2019s head how stressful this is,\u201d Alfredo says.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_438\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-438\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone5-1024x680.jpg\" alt=\"Anthony Fowler-Rainone has finally moved back into his home in Rowlett after it was severely damaged by a tornado in December 2015. Photographed on Thursday, November 10, 2016. (photo \u00a9 Lara Solt)\" width=\"900\" height=\"598\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone5-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone5-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone5-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone5-1360x903.jpg 1360w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone5-800x531.jpg 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone5-450x299.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 900px\" >Anthony Fowler-Rainone in his entryway. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/p><\/div>\n<h5>Coping with &#8216;recovery fatigue&#8217;<\/h5>\n<p>That\u2019s what\u2019s so draining about this kind of financial trauma, even with insurance. Each conversation with the company, each reimbursement claim, feels like a battle.<\/p>\n<p>Social worker Valencia Alexander explains why.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019re still depressed, you\u2019re still dealing with the loss,&#8221; Alexander says. &#8220;And now you have to put up so much energy to find new furniture, and that\u2019s not easy, and maybe dealing with other issues, maybe financial, because some things will be covered and some won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alfredo and Anthony worked with eight different insurance adjusters during their rebuild. Construction hit a snag when some of their roofing shingles were stolen. Every step of the journey was hard.<\/p>\n<p>Alexander, who works for the city of Dallas and helped with counseling efforts after the tornadoes, sees \u201crecovery fatigue\u201d all the time.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey\u2019re dealing with their own hurts while yet fighting for their rights,\u201d\u00a0she says.<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s what Alfredo and Anthony have been doing for nearly a year. They\u2019re tired. Their budget is tight, and they\u2019re still missing some of the beautiful things they gathered over their lifetime.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_439\" style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-439\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone6-1024x687.jpg\" alt=\"Anthony Fowler-Rainone has finally moved back into his home in Rowlett after it was severely damaged by a tornado in December 2015. Photographed on Thursday, November 10, 2016. (photo \u00a9 Lara Solt)\" width=\"900\" height=\"604\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone6-1024x687.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone6-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone6-768x515.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone6-1360x913.jpg 1360w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone6-800x537.jpg 800w, https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone6-450x302.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\"style=\"max-width:100%;  width: 900px\" >Anthony Fowler-Rainone\u00a0in his backyard in Rowlett. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Happily, some of their most important treasures are right back where they belong.<\/p>\n<p>And because Alfredo wasn\u2019t in Anthony\u2019s life when he first bought the house, now there\u2019s some shared ownership to celebrate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBefore it was more his home. Now I feel like it\u2019s my house, too.\u201d Alfredo says.<\/p>\n<p>And after riding out a tornado inside it, and watching construction crews take the better part of a year to rebuild it, Anthony and Alfredo have no plans to move. Ever.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYeah, I ain&#8217;t going nowhere. I mean, I\u2019m dying in this house,&#8221; Alfredo says. He laughed.<\/p>\n<p>And once you know what it takes to rebuild a life, Alfredo says, you aren\u2019t in such a hurry to upend the one you\u2019ve got.<\/p>\n<!-- meta slider -->\n<div style=\"max-width: 1000px;\" class=\"metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-514 ml-slider\">\n    \n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_514\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_514\">\n            <ul class=\"slides\">\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-446 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone13-1000x800.jpg\" height=\"800\" width=\"1000\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-514 slide-446\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Alfredo (left) and Anthony Fowler-Rainone (right) with their three dogs. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-445 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone12-1000x800.jpg\" height=\"800\" width=\"1000\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-514 slide-445\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">The couple has been restoring some of their possessions to their newly rebuilt home in Rowlett. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-444 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone11-1000x800.jpg\" height=\"800\" width=\"1000\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-514 slide-444\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-443 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone10-1000x800.jpg\" height=\"800\" width=\"1000\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-514 slide-443\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-442 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone9-1000x800.jpg\" height=\"800\" width=\"1000\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-514 slide-442\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-440 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone7-1000x800.jpg\" height=\"800\" width=\"1000\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-514 slide-440\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Anthony Fowler-Rainone ascends the staircase in his Rowlett home. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-441 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone8-1000x800.jpg\" height=\"800\" width=\"1000\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-514 slide-441\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Anthony Fowler-Rainone makes the bed in his room upstairs in his Rowlett home. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-437 ms-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/14\/2016\/11\/Fowler-Rainone4-1000x800.jpg\" height=\"800\" width=\"1000\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-514 slide-437\" \/><div class=\"caption-wrap\"><div class=\"caption\">Alfredo and Anthony Fowler-Rainone have finally moved back into their home in Rowlett after it was severely damaged by a tornado in December 2015. Photo\/Lara Solt<\/div><\/div><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n    <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n        var metaslider_514 = function($) {\n            $('#metaslider_514').addClass('flexslider'); \/\/ theme\/plugin conflict avoidance\n            $('#metaslider_514').flexslider({ \n                slideshowSpeed:3000,\n                animation:\"fade\",\n                controlNav:true,\n                directionNav:true,\n                pauseOnHover:true,\n                direction:\"horizontal\",\n                reverse:false,\n                animationSpeed:600,\n                prevText:\"&lt;\",\n                nextText:\"&gt;\",\n                slideshow:true\n            });\n        };\n        var timer_metaslider_514 = function() {\n            var slider = !window.jQuery ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_514, 100) : !jQuery.isReady ? window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_514, 1) : metaslider_514(window.jQuery);\n        };\n        timer_metaslider_514();\n    <\/script>\n<\/div>\n<!--\/\/ meta slider-->\n<h5>Learn more about Anthony and Alfredo<\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/2016\/02\/18\/after-tornado-couple-rebuilds-their-home-and-their-lives-on-tight-budget\/\">After Tornado, Couple Rebuilds Their Home \u2014 And Their Lives \u2014 On A Tight Budget<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It took 10 long months to put Alfredo and Anthony&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":447,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[16],"class_list":["post-501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-one-crisis-away-rebuilding-a-life","tag-one-crisis-away","post_format-post-format-audio","byline-courtney-collins"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=501"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/501\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":553,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/501\/revisions\/553"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/447"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=501"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stories.kera.org\/rebuilding\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}