CLINTON, Ohio — 82-year-old Jake Lauer has lived off of Luna Lake for 25 years.
The recent flooding forced him to leave his home and even place his dog at a boarding facility.
"Between not having him, and not having a house, it’s not good.." he said, pausing with emotion.
Lauer has been away from his home since Tuesday. We were with him on Friday when he returned to see the damage left behind. You can see more on our Facebook Live video below:
When we walked in, we saw furniture placed on top of each other to spare it from the water, but it was clear to see just how much water had come in.
"There’s a lot of people that are in worse shape than I am," Lauer said.
Residents say some of the lowest points saw five feet of water outside their homes. Some used canoes and kayaks to get around.
"A lot of these residents have lived here for 20 plus years and are on a fixed income and their houses are destroyed for the most part," Luna Lake resident and club board member David Brown told us.
The cleanup began for some, tearing out carpet and assessing the damage. A sign that a community plans to rebuild and hope for a brighter future.
"I’ve learned that Luna Lake is a huge community with a lot of support. We’re not going to let that stop us," Brown added.
We’ve seen some families turn to GoFundMe pages online to help with the rebuilding process. A GoFundMe page was launched for Jake Lauer who turns 83 next week.