GoFundMe Set Up After Rainfall Damages Traverse City Resident’s Things

Heavy rainfall on Oct. 23 brought water into one Traverse City home on South Airport Road.

“When I woke up in the morning, it was still dark, 7 o’clock,” George Trudeau said. “From the reflection of the vehicles going by, that’s when I saw the water from the driveway from the road, right to the front of the Cadillac, my son’s vehicle.”

Most of the damage was to things in the garage, which had over a foot of water in it.

“I tried to reach over and I couldn’t even budge the garage door to let out the water,” Trudeau said. “It didn’t help either when the traffic is going by because I could see from the little waves coming in every time a car drove by.”

Trudeau lost tools, a snow blower, cars, and things like family photos in the flood. He does not have renter’s insurance.

“I told my friend I said I feel like crying,” Trudeau said. “But at that time too, I had already knew what I lost in the garage.”

Trudeau’s daughter, Miranda Recollet, knows the kind and caring man her father is.

“My father is one of those men that will help anybody that needs the help, regardless if they can do anything for him or not,” Recollet said. “He can often be seen helping people change their tires on the side of the road, that’s a usual thing for him.”

She started a to get him some of that help.

“I told him you’re always there for the community, let’s see if there are some community members that can help the situation,” Recollet said.

“When she set up this account, I don’t know, it was emotional,” Trudeau said. “I can’t believe that people out there actually help.”

Despite what he lost, Trudeau keeps a positive outlook.

“I have to take it with humor,” he said.