Blue tarps are still covering Cheryl Wessel's house on Palmacea Road in Fort Myers - eight months after her roof was ripped apart by Hurricane Irma.
"Everything was ruined, from the carpets to the furniture to the beds," Wessel said.
She said the total estimated damage is about $25,000, but she doesn't see the point of replacing anything inside her home until the roof is fixed. Unfortunately, Wessel said that she no longer has home owner's insurance.
Still, she calls FEMA every couple of weeks to see if they can help her fix her roof.
"All they say is 'we're backed up, and we're sorry,'" Wessel said. "I'm scared to death that I'm going to be here, and the roof is going to cave in."
Fox 4 reached out to FEMA to see if there is anything the agency can do to help home owners like Wessel who don't have insurance. FEMA spokesman John Mills sent us this email:
"Federal funding of more than $300 million has already been provided to home owners in the Fort Myers-Naples area. FEMA is not a replacement for insurance. We strongly encourage everyone in Florida to have homeowners or renters insurance and flood insurance."
Mills also said that with hurricane season less than two weeks away, everyone living in Florida is urged to learn how to make an emergency plan by visiting Ready.gov.
For those seeking alternatives to federal assistance, 211.org may help navigate to resources for aid in such matters as emergencies and housing.
