DEL RIO, Tenn. — Marty and Shelia Pellasma have been counting their blessings since Hurricane Helene hit upper East Tennessee, bringing deadly flooding that swept away roads and homes across several communities.
"There was absolutely nothing here, just not one thing except for a piece of tin on the ground and I walked by it several times and I took it to throw it away, and I flipped it over and it was a big Cross with raised letters," said Marty. "I couldn't believe how that piece of tin laid there like that on my property, the only thing left. It wasn't ours, it came from somewhere upstream, I guess."
The two lived on their lot in Del Rio for around 6 years, but when the storm hit they watched everything they worked for drift away.
"We stayed in a camper down the road and road it out, we didn't think we'd make it. But somehow we survived and we watched everything float on by," said Marty.
But through everything that's happened these last few weeks, the couple was fortunate enough to get a blessing — a tiny home. An anonymous donor helped make sure 20 people in total would have a safe place to stay while they rebuilt after the storm.
The new tiny home was delivered on Thursday.
"We were really excited about that. I mean, what a blessing it is," said Marty. "I didn't know people were as good as they were. I mean, it was unbelievable the amount of care and the help that everyone did."