A disabled U.S. Army veteran and his family have been given to the green light to move back into their home in the Town of Bennington.
Flash flooding displaced Dale D’Arconte and his family more than a week ago. Water damaged his Graff Road house so badly that it was condemned and deemed unlivable by Wyoming County.
The foundation, hot/drinking water tanks and furnace were ruined along with personal valuables of the family.
D’Arconte’s insurance company told him, he did not have flood insurance, even though they do not live in a flood zone. It’s estimated that repairs cost about $100,000. D’Arconte lives with his wife and 19-year-old autistic son.
Neighbors stepped in and volunteered their help during this family’s distressed time. The community provided them with a camper to live in until their house was repair, meals, and helped make repairs on the home.
After this story originally aired on 7 Eyewitness News it caught the attention of a fellow veteran from Wheatfield, Steve Tybor, Jr., who helped start a national faith-based volunteer group with his son. It is called "Eight Days of Hope" and was formed after Hurricane Katrina to help rebuild communities that faced natural disasters.
"Eight Days of Hope," with many out-of-state volunteers happened to be in town for the "Kingdom Bound 2017" Christian music festival held at Darien Lake - and they felt the D'Arconte's could use their help.
Last week, "Eight Days of Hope," worked along with volunteers from City Church in Batavia, to repair the D'Arconte's basement and reinforced it with steel beams. The workers also found the veteran's house needed a new roof, which is in the process of being replaced. Volunteers did landscaping and decontamination in the basement.
Neighbors even set up this GoFundMe Page for the family http://www.gofundme.com/help-the-darconte-family
