STONEHAM, Mass. — Cheryl Valente and her 99-year-old father, WWII Vet Leo Valente, have lived in their Stoneham home for nearly 60 years, but Tuesday night, all of that changed after they had to evacuate and leave everything behind.
Cheryl says water unexpectedly started to leak rapidly from the ceiling, and it felt like the second floor was collapsing all at once.
“Water was just pouring and pouring and pouring, and I said ‘Oh my god,’ it was like a river pouring down, and then all of a sudden it started going down the walls, and then it went into the other room, and then it went into the kitchen,” Cheryl told Boston 25 News.
Now they’ve lost everything, even important documents like their birth certificates and social security. With little time to spare, Cheryl managed to run inside during the chaos, grabbing her phone and some of her father’s medals—including a framed photo of Leo in uniform.
Cheryl says her dad’s positive spirit gives her hope that everything will be alright.
“His Army picture and his medals, but they’re kind of destroyed a little bit from the water,” Cheryl told Boston 25 News. “It’s completely condemned, it’s a total loss.”
Cheryl says she’s filled out forms for housing, but nothing is available. She’s set up an account at Salem Five Bank in Stoneham under WWII Vet Leo Valente in hopes that donations can help them get back on their feet.
“If anybody wants to send anything, they can send checks or go there in person, or just put that on for now,” Cheryl told Boston 25 News.
If you’d like to help, we’ve listed Salem Five Bank’s contact information below:
88 Main Street, Stoneham, MA 02180
(781) 438-7550
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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