CLEVELAND — An elderly Cleveland couple said they are without a car, power, and patience after Tuesday's storms caused serious damage in their backyard.
Isaac Rogers has lived with his wife, Julia, at their home on East 124th Street on the city's East Side for decades.
They were inside when the storms started Tuesday afternoon.
"It started raining real hard. You couldn't see nothing," Isaac Rogers said.
Then, they heard a loud bang. A tree from his neighbor's property crashed into his yard and fell onto his wife's car, shattering the rear window.
"I seen the car jump up a little bit. Holy Mackerel!" he said.
The tree's branches dragged down power lines with them, so Rogers can not remove the tree and get his wife's car fixed until FirstEnergy crews remove the power lines.
"I pay my bill every month," he said. "I need my lights on."
A FirstEnergy spokesperson said residents should report power outages and damage.
In a text, the spokesperson wrote, "Unfortunately, there is no one that homeowners can call and hire to do this work. It needs to be done by electrical professionals, and we are working as quickly and safely as possible to handle all of the cleanup and restoration."
Tanisha Hill, with the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging, said elderly residents should reach out to family members for help while waiting for their power to be restored.
She said many elderly residents have limited budgets and no transportation.
"If they need to go stay with family members, where it's probably cooler, try to get your family member to come pick you up," Hill said.
She said elderly residents should also ask neighbors for help.
"You'll just be amazed at how much our neighbors really do; our community reaches out, and they help our elderly," Hill said.
Hill said her staff has been reaching out to its members to ensure they have what they need to survive the storm's effects, then providing additional support and services if necessary.
"It's just very important that we keep checking on them to make sure that they are okay and that nothing's gone awry," she said.
Hill said elderly residents can also contact the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging. Their number is 216-621-0303.
