Lillie Elrod moved to her current address when she was three years old, and in 1992, she built the home she lives in now on that same lot. She did the majority of the construction herself. Her parents' home was just a few feet away until it, sadly, had to be demolished after it suffered flood damage before Hurricane Harvey. Mrs. Elrod lived alone in her home and worked as a security officer for the West Columbia School District. She has 6 children, and 9 grandchildren, and calls her marriage and raising a family her most treasured life's work. When Hurricane Harvey made landfall, most of her family had already sheltered in place. As the water quickly began to rise, sheriff's deputies encouraged her to evacuate, and a little later 4 feet of rushing water swept through the home and destroyed everything inside. After the flood waters receded, she began suffering from stress and an exacerbation of her health issues due to being out of her home and the constant threat of trespassers who have been targeting the residence. Mrs. Elrod is now back in her home after living in a camper parked near her damaged home for over a year. She is looking forward to starting over with a new beginning where she can be back home in a safe place and once again enjoy her independence.
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