John R. Locklear

Fairmont, NC— When John R. Locklear saw water rising outside his house as Hurricane Matthew pounded the area, he did not risk waiting for the roads to flood. “My family jumped in our truck and took off as fast as we could,” he says. 

After they returned home, Locklear discovered that the water had also moved inside the house. “We had more than a foot of water throughout the whole place,” he says. “Everything below that water line was destroyed.” 

Working with his brother-in-law and son-in-law, both of whom are in construction, Locklear was able to fix the duct work under the house and make some other repairs until he ran out of money to complete all the projects. 

“A friend from church told me about ReBuild NC, so I applied,” Locklear says. “Once I was approved, the assigned contractor took care of everything that was left. He fixed loose windows and painted all the walls inside the house.”  

Locklear and his wife also appreciated the help they received from their case manager. “She made things really easy for us,” he says. “Anything I’d ask, she’d help me understand.” 

Today, Locklear is pleased to see other people getting help to restore their homes. “If they’re like us, they’re glad they reached out to ReBuild NC,” he says.