Grandfather With ALS Loses Dream Farm To Flooding

LIBERTYVILLE, IL - The community is stepping up to help a local family that has seen its fair share of trials and tribulations in recent years. Most recently, they lost their family farm and several animals to severe flooding. Angela Komarov said her father was diagnosed with ALS two months after purchasing the farm for his family, which includes Angela and her eight brothers and sisters and her 25 nieces and nephews, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help raise money for the family.

"My father has always wanted a farm for all his children and grandchildren to call home," she wrote on the GoFundMe page. "Within one night my father's dream became a nightmare."

Now, the property looks like "its own island" as waters have rushed into the home, barn and other buildings. To make matters worse, the family, which has been hit hard financially due to the "strains associated with their father's ALS," decided to cancel their flood insurance on the farm just a couple weeks back.

"We had intended to reinstate it as soon as we were financially stable," according to Komarov. "My family had to evacuate the house and the home insurance that we have won't cover any of damages. We cannot afford to fix the damages that have already occurred: the loss of five cars, all of our farming equipment and machinery and our workshop (and all of our tools) and the barn."

She said it has been devastating to watch as her father's dream home was damaged by flooding.

"For now the two main floors are dry, but water is pouring in the basement and there is already mold. We are hoping for the best, but unsure what to expect in the days to come," Komarov wrote in a Sunday post on the GoFundMe page. "We've worked so hard on this house and we put everything we have into it and now it's disappearing before our eyes."

The fact the home means so much to her family and her father, who have felt already-powerless watching as the "rock of their family" slowly lost control of his body and became paralyzed, has made matters even worse.

"Watching as he succumbed to this illness has been trying for all of us," Komarov said. After people asked how they could help the family, Komarov started the GoFundMe page. Earlier in the week, housing was the most immediate need for the family. Komarov said her father was staying in a hotel room over the weekend but the family could not afford to keep him there for much longer.

As of Friday morning, over $24,000 has been raised for the family.

"I personally want to hug and thank every individual who has read, shared, donated and willing to help my family," Komarov said. "You have no idea how much we all appreciate this.

Donations can be made to the family on the GoFundMe page.

Local Animal Rescue Shelter Saves Animals From Floodwaters

When a suburban animal rescue group learned of the flooded Libertyville farm over the weekend, they rushed out to help. The Hooved Animal Rescue & Protection Society, which is located in Barrington Hills, received an emergency call from the family on Sunday.

Donna Ewing, founder for Hooved Animal Rescue & Protection Society, told CBS Chicago she field the call from a woman who was crying and requesting assistance after police and fire departments said they couldn't help. The Libertyville farm had a pony, a miniature horse, goats and rabbits were trapped in the floodwaters.

“She said ‘Our little animals, some have drowned already,’” Ewing told CBS Chicago “She said it’s supposed to have more flooding and they’re never going to make it.”

Volunteers from HARPS responded and got to work, donning wet gear and waders and using ropes, boats "and a lot of coaxing," to help get the animals to dry land, according to the HARPS Facebook post.

"As terrified as the animals were at the sudden destruction of their home, they put their trust in the HARPS volunteers, making it through four feet deep water," according to the HARPS Facebook post.

All the animals are now dry and safe at the HARPS rescue facility in Barrington Hills.

Photo via GoFundMe