Four Generations Seek Refuge at Red Cross Shelter

By: Cindy Huge and Heather Kanipe, Red Cross Volunteers

Gathers family spending a few moments with

 Cindy Huge, Red Cross Public Affairs Volunteer, outside of the shelter.

 Photo credit: Heather Kanipe

“We never had a problem like that before and I’m 54 years old,” says Nelisa Geathers, as she carefully watched over her large family as several members sat outside enjoying the beautiful weather and playing with small children. “This time we left and came to the shelter much earlier for help.” 

Nelisa and her family have temporarily made the James R Frazier Community Center shelter located in Conway, SC, their home.

Two years ago, their homes were flooded when Hurricane Matthew hit the coast. Nelisa is still waiting to hear if her home was flooded after Hurricane Florence swept through the area. The Geathers family has been warned that more flooding is expected in the next couple of days so they made the choice, as a family, to stay put at the shelter.

Their entire family is here, all four generations. “Y’all didn’t see half of them yet-EVERYONE that’s inside are our family” said Nelisa.

“If it wasn’t for the Red Cross, we don’t know what we would have done” said Nelisa’s third cousin.

Bryan  Chadman practicing his basketball shots.

Photo Credit: Cindy Huge

Bryan Chadman, is a 15-year-old point guard on his school’s basketball team and an honors student and also Nelisa’s cousin. He’s been passing the time on the shelter grounds working on his skills on the court and says his dream is to play in the NBA one day and give back to the homeless.

When asked if a second stay in a shelter in as many years had impacted Bryan, all he could do was nod his head and hold back the tears. The first time the family left, it was done in a hurry during Hurricane Matthew, as the rapidly rising waters began to reach the top cabinets in their kitchen. The family was literally swimming for their lives. Bryan explained, he had a cousin that took swimming lessons after that experience and became a lifeguard in case he was ever in that situation again. 

Shadai Huggins and her child.

Photo Credit: Heather Kanipe 

For some families, going through multiple experiences like this could cripple relationships between them. But for the Geathers’, despite the natural disasters this family has endured over the last few years, they have grown not only in numbers, but strength and tenacity. The bond they share is evident in the way their faces light up with joy during each interaction.