Hill Country flood relief volunteer's trailer destroyed by lightning, but spirit of giving continues
A 20-foot enclosed trailer was the perfect vehicle to haul necessities for volunteers, first responders and families still needing help in the disaster zone after deadly flooding in the Hill Country one month ago.
"A friend of mine had approached me and said, 'Hey, we're looking for an enclosed trailer, we got some supplies we want to take out to Kerrville, so does anybody have anything?'" said David Hart, a Parker County resident. "And my response was, 'Hey, come get my trailer. I'll be glad to help.'"
Hart, who owns a Weatherford HVAC business, started working with donors to do even more and began collecting huge amounts of bottled water for repeat trips to Kerr County.
"There's about 54 agencies that had requested water, so the thought was to load them up in some box trucks, my trailer and try to disperse them the best we can," said Hart.
But early Monday morning, a lightning strike from storms in Parker County caused the trailer and the vehicle next to it to go up in flames.
"I got up at 6:30 this morning, received a text message with my trailer on fire," Hart said.
Everything inside is now reduced to ashes.
"The trailer was completely full," said Hart.
Hart and donors are currently looking for another large truck or trailer to deliver 3,500 bottles of water and keep the relief mission going.
The business owner refuses to let the setback slow him down.
"I believe the devil tries to get you down when you're at your prime, and it just pushes me that much harder to find a way," Hart said. "I've always been a fighter and I'll always continue to be a fighter."
Hart said he will take some of his company's repair trucks out of service and drive bottled water and other supplies himself until he can get the trailer replaced.
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