Pasadena residents still picking up the pieces after tornado devastated neighborhood
PASADENA, Texas - A Pasadena woman has been living in her home with no roof, no water, and no power after the tornadoes ripped through her neighborhood.
WHAT HAPPENED? NWS confirms Deer Park/Pasadena tornado preliminarily rated as EF3
Irene Vega is determined to stay at her Pasadena home on Tamar Drive, no matter what the condition.
Recovery center opens in Pasadena to help residents impacted by storm
It's been three days since a devastating tornado tore through Deer Park and Pasadena causing thousands to be impacted by the dangerous storm. FOX 26's Damali Keith speaks to those at a new recovery center in Pasadena as organizations come together to help.
Currently, her roof is covered with a tarp, and water has been leaking from the ceiling into trash cans.
"I'm collecting the water so I can mop the floors, flush my toilets, and stuff," Vega said.
RELATED: Pasadena neighborhood begins to recover following EF3 tornado
Last week's tornadoes also ripped off the second floor of her home.
"This is no longer a 3-bedroom home, it’ll be a 2-bedroom home from now on. I'm just working to fix the roof," Vega said. "I'm not leaving my home. You know, it’s all I worked for."
Vega has called this place home for the last 25 years. It’s where she raised her kids and her grandkids.
SUGGESTED: How to avoid repair scams, filing insurance claims after Southeast Texas tornadoes
Vega says she was home last Tuesday standing in the hallway outside her bedroom when disaster struck.
"As soon as I closed this door, you can hear the breaking of the windows, the crackling of the house, the wind, everything," Vega said. "And so I just stepped over here, and I can already see the light from the stairs. I can see the water come in, the light comes in, I said ‘it just took my roof.’ I thought it was just the roof. I didn’t know it was going to be the whole top floor."
SCARY VIDEO: Family trapped in SUV as tornado rips through Pasadena
In a matter of seconds, her life’s work was torn apart. The following day, her ceiling collapsed.
With no insurance, Vega said she’ll have to pay out of pocket just to get a roof back over her head. She’s now racing against time to get enough of it fixed before more rain comes in this week.
"It feels like only a day," Vega said. "You’re saying it’s already a week? To me, it’s just been a day."