Gov. Andy Beshear visits Letcher County, breaks ground on new flood relief home

WHITESBURG, Ky. (WYMT) - Governor Andy Beshear made a trip to the mountains on Monday, making several stops along the way, including one in Whitesburg.

The Governor joined an Eastern Kentucky family in breaking ground on their new home.

“This is an incredibly special day, people lost everything in this flooding, most importantly their home. It’s a place we feel safe, it’s a place where we make memories,” said Beshear.

After spending eight hours trapped inside their home on July 28, the Rulah and Nancy Adams lost their house to the floods.

“We saw floods before, but not anything like this. Couldn’t get up to the house to them, the ramp washed away, everything in the house fell over, all the appliances. They sat on barstools for five hours, with water up to their waste,” said Rulah and Nancy Adam’s son, Donnie.

Now, with help from Homes Inc. and the Housing Development Alliance, Rulah, Nancy and Donnie will soon have a new home.

“Today, I think they saw real, tangible proof that they are going to make it back, and you could see it on their face when the ground started to be dug, but not by a ceremonial shovel, but actually getting the work done,” said the Governor.

This is the first new home project to be partially funded by Governor Beshear’s Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund.

“This is the going to be the hardest rebuild in the history of the United States, but it’s going to happen home by home, lot by lot, so today, I hope, is a beacon of hope for everybody out there that is waiting, that we will not stop, we will not rest until we rebuild everything,” said the Governor.

The Governor has committed $600,000 from the fund to go towards eight new homes in Eastern Kentucky.