Don and Paulette Gwilym and their two puppies, Ginger and Cricket, lost their home to Hurricane Ian and took refuge in an American Red Cross shelter at the Turner Agri-Civic Center in Arcadia, Fla.  

Unfortunately, their challenges continued to pile up.  Paulette had to be taken to the hospital for unrelated health issues, leaving her husband to deal with the many details of their future, something he was not used to doing. Don didn’t even have a bank card in his own name. 

 Red Cross volunteers Alice Crespos and Julie Freeman stepped in to help the Gwilyms overcome the hurdles before them.

Crespos, a trained caseworker, started by making calls to their bank, getting Gwilym a debit card in his own name. He could now take responsibility for his family and their future recovery. Most importantly, she also became conduit between state offices and Gwilym, to get him relocated to an assisted living facility right across the street from the hospital where his wife was being treated. 

Sadly, Ginger and Cricket would not be allowed to join the Gwilyms in their future home; Freeman stepped in to find a solution. 

Gwilym’s sister in Columbus, Ohio, volunteered to take the puppies in. Freeman worked with Gwilym and his sister to arrange transportation for the puppies to their future home in the Buckeye State.  His niece assured everyone Ginger and Cricket would be well taken care of, complete with lots of snuggles and photos to be shared.  

Since Ian made landfall, the Red Cross and partners have provided more than 40,000 overnight stays for some 6,800 Floridians. As those evacuees move on to more permanent accommodations, Red Cross transition specialists are there to help with details big and small. 

When it was time for Gwilym to move out of the shelter, Crespos and Freeman were busy packing up his car, recording puppy tracking information and sharing hugs and warm wishes with him. Gwilym admitted he was nervous about the move, but at the same time, “excited to see my new home. And my wife is waiting for a call from me soon.”

Help people affected by disasters like storms and countless other crises by making a gift to American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Your gift enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Donate today at redcross.org/donate.

Written by Heather Anderson, American Red Cross volunteer