Massachusetts

Mass. Natives Expecting Baby Lose Everything in Harvey

A Masssachusetts native just weeks away from giving birth to her first child has lost her home. Now, the biggest concern for her and her husband is where they will go when they leave the hospital, because the place they called home is gone for now.

Anthony Bilotta went back to their Texas home for the first time on Thursday after close to five feet of rain devoured every room.

"It's anyone's worst nightmare for myself and my neighbors. There's no words to describe what I'm feeling. I am feeling every emotion. I am angry, but I am thankful my wife and I are safe. It's just a lot right now," said Anthony Bilotta.

Anthony moved to Houston with his wife, Nicole, a year ago for his residency program to become a medical doctor. They never imagined a year from the day they said "I do" that they would be starting over. Their families and friends in their hometown of Leominster, hundreds of miles away, felt hopeless when they got the news that their house would have to be rebuilt.

"Life changes on a dime. Things were fine on Friday and not so much on Saturday. It was surreal," said Cathy Reynolds, Nicole Bilotta's mother.

So families and friends did what they could to rally support for Anthony and Nicole to rebuild.

"You pretty much have to start over, because she can't bring her baby home to the home they made for her," said Reynolds. "It has feet of water in it, and that can come with mold and all sorts of things."

Anthony's three sisters got the word out on social media and started a fundraising page for them. It raised twice as much as their initial goal. They are sharing the excess funds with their neighbors.

Bilotta said he has flood insurance, but a lot of his neighbors did not, so they are determined to help the whole neighborhood rebuild.

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