ENGLEWOOD, Fla. — A few days ago, an Englewood couple walked through their brand new front door for the first time. Their home of 40 years was badly damaged in Hurricane Milton, but now the repairs are complete, just in time for the holidays.
"The feeling was overwhelming. It was just it was unbelievable," Frank Alward said.
He and his wife Sandy live in Englewood's Lemon Bay community.
Watch Fox 4 Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades report below:
Frank Alward walked through his home and pointed out all the renovations including new walls, appliances, floors and furniture.
Find previous reporting on the Hurricane Milton impacting The Alwards and Lemon Bay here.
Hurricane Milton destroyed almost everything Frank and Sandy owned.
Two months later, Fox 4 Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades sat back down with them, just days after they moved back in.
Sandy said, "Sometimes, I just can't believe that this is where we're at and how we feel."
They said the community donated things like cabinets, their front door, windows and time to fix the house, in addition to the RV where they lived while workers did the repairs.
"We're happy to be here for Christmas. If you'd seen us at Thanksgiving, we were so unprepared for anything. We had a loaf of bread and peanut butter and jelly," Alward said.
They were able to save a few things from the storm.
A signed Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash photo and a sign that says, "This is a place where love lives."
Something you certainly feel in the Alward's home.
"We always were trying to reach our hand out to somebody to help them do something with their life, and it came back tenfold to us... What more could me and her want for Christmas?," Alward said.
