by Lisa Kaplan Gordon, American Red Cross Public Affairs

A state of emergency has lifted after a tropical depression dumped more than 20 inches of rain in three days onto parts of South Florida.

But for Witchel Jean, his state of emergency has just begun. The 69-year-old North Miami resident lost everything Wednesday night when over 3 ft. of water rushed into his rental home, soaking everything he owned, including a new, 24-inch-wide TV that lay still boxed under his bed.

The only things left dry were family pictures and a college diploma that hung 5 ft. above the floor.

Sitting on a green cot in an American Red Cross emergency shelter set up in a North Miami church, Jean retold the nightmare that unfolded for his family – a brother, niece, and nephew.

“The water flooded through the door,” says Jean, wrapped in a Red Cross blanket and massaging his left ankle, which he injured in the storm. “We stepped on a chair to see what was going on. All the beds and furniture got wet. I don’t know how we’re going to replace it. We can’t live any longer in that house.”

From Wednesday through Friday, the tropics-born storm slammed into five counties in southern Florida, dumping 28 inches of rain into Collier County, the worst-hit area.

With no place to go, Jean’s family stayed put until both the mayors of Miami and North Miami arrived in his living room and told him to “get out,” Jean says.

Since Thursday, Jean has been staying at the Red Cross shelter assembled in the House of The Living God Church, which donated its main room to the mission. About 20 people have sought shelter, food, or cleanup supplies there.

The Red Cross “has helped me a lot,” says Jean, a retired electrician. “They gave me a place to sleep, food and water.”

The Red Cross also connected Jean with a nurse who told him to wrap and elevate his swollen ankle and seek an X-ray if it continues to hurt.

Although the county-wide flood damage seems to fall short of the threshold required for FEMA assistance, Jean may qualify for Red Cross financial assistance. He certainly will be offered medical, psychological and spiritual help.

Jean, however, seems philosophical and extraordinarily composed about the past and the future.

“Life continues, and it’s going to happen again. It’s rainy season,” he says. “I’m never scared. I have God.”

Please consider making a financial gift to support the Red Cross’s ongoing relief efforts. Every dollar makes a difference. Visit redcross.org to donate now. Additionally, if you’re unaffected by this disaster and able to donate your time to volunteer, visit redcross.org/volunteer.