Schoharie woman spends first Christmas since the flood in FEMA t - NEWS10 ABC: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports

Schoharie woman spends first Christmas since the flood in FEMA trailer

BY TARYN FITSIK

SCHOHARIE, N.Y.--It's been almost four months since Tropical Storm Irene changed the lives of so many people in the Capital Region, as the devastating flood waters washed away homes and businesses.

Remnants of Irene are still very evident, and for some people, that means they still have no home.

"The outlook on life has changed, and life itself has changed," says Leslie Price. "Nothing will ever be the same again."

Price's "new" temporary home is a trailer given to her by FEMA, after her house was severely damaged by Irene.

The trailer sits on the same piece of property her home used to sit on. At the height of Irene, the house filled with more than seven feet of water, making it uninhabitable.

Price will spend this Christmas in Schoharie, just inside four different walls than she has for the past 15 years.

"After 11 weeks of not being in one place for more than 4 or 5 days, this is great," says Price. "I can't complain."

The FEMA trailer comes equipped with a bathroom, kitchen appliances and a washer and dryer hook-up, giving Price some sense of normalcy for the first time in almost four months.

Price says while she knows there are still some long days ahead of her, she still has a lot to be thankful for this Christmas.

"I'm in a good place right now," she says. "It's going to get better, I'm not going to be here forever. I'm just very gracious to have this."

Price's home was not in a flood zone, so she did not have flood insurance.

She is allowed to stay in the FEMA trailer for up to 18 months, time she says she will use to figure out what to do with a mortgage on a home that no longer exists.