MONTEGUT, La. — Sitting on the steps of their Montegut home, still damaged from Hurricane Ida, Annette Fontenot and Kevin Sampay are thankful.
“I’m glad we made it because it could have been pretty bad,” said Fontenot.
Pretty bad because they rode out the storm inside their home of eleven years, with their two dogs Lou and Phi-Phi.
“My house picked up. a couple of times it did like pow, pow, pow, pow,” said Sampay when interviewed by WWLTV back in September.
They were trapped as the house shook, the porch fell, and the roof peeled off. They prayed they’d make it out alive.
“He almost went through the attic,” said Fontenot as she pointed to Sampay.
Nearly six months later, the storm they didn’t think would be that bad, is still haunting.
“When it rains and the wind whistles, I get scared. It just scares me,” said Fontenot.
When WWLTV first met them in September, they were in despair.
“It’s like I want to give up. I ain’t going to lie. I want to go to that bayou and jump in it and just end my life,” said Fontenot back in September.
In need of basic supplies, they were living in the shed next to their home. No electricity. No phone service. No bed. No Food. No Water. That would be home for about a month and a half.
“Couldn’t take a bath. Couldn’t do nothing,” said Fontenot.
The reality of their situation became a breaking point for Fontenot when WWLTV first interviewed her.
“This changed my life, so much you wouldn’t believe. It changed it,” said Fontenot back in September.
“I really didn’t think I was going to make the news, I really didn’t. Thank God I did. I got a hold of my family,” said Fontenot.
Since making the news, they’ve got plenty of food, water, and clothing from organizations like the local Lion’s Club and Red Cross. Looking back at where they were in the days after the storm, any help was and still is a blessing.
“We’re doing good. It’s a slow process but we’re doing good. I thank God for you because you gave us hope,” said Fontenot.
That’s a hope Fontenot says felt lost at the time, but she didn’t want her Montegut community to be forgotten.
“I was speaking, I guess, for everybody because everybody was hit hard. It was hard for everybody,” said Fontenot. “Some of them don’t even have a home. Some homes fell clean off the block. I thank God mine was on it.”
Like many people down the bayou, getting back on their feet is still a struggle at times. That’s when they lean on each other.
“We only got each other. That’s all we got” said Fontenot.
There’s also a new sense of loss. Shortly after the storm, one of their dogs, Phi-Phi, crossed over the rainbow bridge, adding to an already painful recovery.
“We’ve been through a lot with the storm and losing our dog. It still hurts,” said Fontenot.
With power restored, they’re now living in a sectioned-off area of their home. The main part, still gutted, is slowly being repaired.
“One day at a time you know,” said Sampay.
Considering what they’ve been through, any progress is a big deal.
“They just finished the roof about a week and a half ago, now I’m still in the process of cleaning up. It’s a long tedious process,” said Sampay.
After several denials from FEMA, they finally got approved for a trailer. They hope it’ll be on the property soon. Looking around at their community, Fontenot and Sampay know how lucky they are, able to rebuild their lives together.
“I’m glad to be here. It’s a slow process but we’re getting there,” said Fontenot.
Both Fontenot and Sampay say they won’t be sticking around during another hurricane and appreciate everyone who has thought about and prayed for them since their story first aired.