This Houston Family Ran Into A Woman At Church Who Offered Them Her House On The Market After They Lost Theirs

The college student broke down in a phone call with BuzzFeed News describing the gratitude she has for a woman's incredible gesture to look out for her family in Houston.

By
Tanya Chen
by Tanya Chen

BuzzFeed News Reporter

Georgina Mompiere was in college in San Antonio when Hurricane Harvey tore through her family home in Friendswood, Texas. Her mother and her younger brother were in the house, and rode out the storm.

Georgina Mompiere

Mompiere told BuzzFeed News flood waters had risen above beds in their home, so her mother and brother were stranded in the attic until a rescue truck arrived to help get them out.

Georgina Mompiere

"Everyone in the neighborhood was flooded, and they had to rebuild and take apart their cabinets and everything," Mompiere said.

Her mother had been renting the home.

The owner told her the house could be repaired eventually, but it was unlivable and they had lost all of their belongings. Mompiere is not sure if they had flood insurance.

Mompiere's mom and brother then sought shelter at a church in Houston, where her mom ran into a woman named Jaqueta Veltz she'd known from choir.

Veltz and Mompiere's mom began talking about Harvey, and its devastation on their home and community.

That's when Veltz, who had recently put her home on the market, offered to let Mompiere's mom and brother move into her vacant house.

"[Veltz] said they could move in ASAP...like, the next day," Mompiere said. "She's not rushing my mom on any deposits or rent. She wants my mom to get settled first. She even bought my brother a bedroom set."

Georgina Mompiere

"My mom was honestly in disbelief about it...the woman said she believed her and her mom were like sisters and they were helping each other out," she added.

Veltz, who'd already moved into a new home, even left furniture in the house that she gave the family.

"I'm forever grateful for her," Mompiere added, her voice cracking as she broke down in tears.

She said it was incredibly difficult being so far from her family, but knowing a woman was looking out for them was reassuring and made her very emotional.

"I'm honestly so thankful, I"ll forever be thankful," she said. "It's a big thing. No one just gives away their home like that. She left food in the fridge, furniture...it's not anything you just hear of."

Mompiere said she was devastated when she got a phone from her mother informing her everything she and their family owned was gone. However she's only concerned about her mom and her brother at this point, and Veltz's generosity has made it so much easier on all of them.

Georgina Mompiere

"It was interesting leaving one home and coming back to another—everything will be different," Mompiere said. She's already planned for her first trip back to her "new" home later this month.

"My mom called me the following morning [after Harvey made landfall] and told me we lost everything...it was heartbreaking. I just wanted to come home, but I couldn't. But as long as they're OK, that's what really matters to me."

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