CLEVELAND – An elderly Cleveland couple said they are without a car, power and patience after storms caused severe damage to their backyard Tuesday.
Isaac Rogers has lived with his wife Julia for decades in their home on East 124th Street on the city’s East Side.
They were inside when the storms began Tuesday afternoon.
“It started raining really hard. You couldn’t see anything,” said Isaac Rogers.
Then they heard a loud bang. A tree from his neighbor’s property fell into his yard and onto his wife’s car, shattering the rear window.
“I saw the car jump a little bit. Holy cow!” he said.
The tree’s branches have downed power lines, so Rogers cannot remove the tree and get his wife’s car repaired until FirstEnergy workers remove the power lines.
“I pay my bill every month,” he said. “I need light.”
A FirstEnergy spokesman said residents should report power outages and damage.
In a text message, the spokesperson wrote: “Unfortunately, there is no one the homeowners can call and hire to do this work. It will need to be done by electrical professionals and we are working as quickly and safely as possible to get all of the cleanup and restoration work done.”
Tanisha Hill of the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging said older residents should reach out to family members for help while they wait for power to be restored.
She said many older residents have limited budgets and no transportation options.
“If they have to stay overnight with family members, where it is likely to be cooler, try to get your family member to pick you up,” Hill said.
She said older residents should also ask their neighbors for help.
“You’ll be amazed at how much our neighbors really do. Our community is reaching out and helping our elderly,” Hill said.
Hill said her staff has been reaching out to members to make sure they have everything they need to survive the storm’s impact and then providing them with additional support and services as needed.
“It’s just very important that we continue to check on them to make sure they’re OK and that nothing has gone wrong,” she said.
Hill said older residents can also contact the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging, whose phone number is 216-621-0303.
