Wal-Mart Parking Lot is Home to Ike Victim

Two months ago tonight, Hurricane Ike was already battering Southeast Texas with its high winds and the storm surge was building.  The destruction caused by Ike on September 12th and 13th will likely take years to overcome.

"It's one step at a time, one day at a time."

And every 'day' since Hurricane Ike, Rod Yancey has had to 'step' into this small, damaged trailer, and call it home.

He said, "It's like a wooden box, a mildew wooden box, which I stay in, with candles, it sounds bad but it's like a cave you know."

The 40-year-old trailer, which Yancey moved to a trailer park on Rachal Street in Bridge City, a week and a half before Ike, was completely immersed during the storm.  Not only did Yancey return to a flooded trailer, but he's been living with a broken roof that shows no mercy during rain storms like the one Tuesday night.

"I tried to patch it up, but it leaks," Yancey said.

He's survived so far with candles for light, MRE's for food and odd construction jobs for money. And for a week now, he's been doing it all, in the parking lot of Wal-Mart.

He said, "Even though i'm a rough individual, it's getting tough."

Yancey was was asked to move his trailer off the property on Rachal, where he was living rent-free since the storm, to make room for a FEMA trailer park... so the discount store was his last resort.

Yancey says he just wants to close the door on everything Ike, but he's going to need help to do it.

"FEMA's not helping me, the community hasn't helped me, three or four churches have been by, they have prayed with me... but I don't know where to go from here," he said.

"If somebody out there is willing to help me, I'd be willing to pay them back," said Yancey, "Someone who can get me into something that is at least livable, or if not, help me find a trailer spot I can pull this thing to. I'll rough it out."

He said, "I don't wanna be rich or famous or nothing like that, I just want a little but of help this time."

FEMA says several community housing sites are being set up in Orange, Jefferson and Chambers counties.  The agency expects to have the first one ready for move in early next week.