“I’m safe. This is my home.”

For BHC resident Sheryl, having a place to call home means more than just having a roof over her head. It means safety, stability and a chance to rebuild after losing everything in the devasting 2022 floods in northern New South Wales.

At the time, Sheryl had been renting the same home for 17 years. As heavy rain fell and water levels in the nearby river began to rise, she was initially told the river was unlikely to break its banks but was advised to move anything important from her garage into the house.

While trying to save her belongings, Sheryl lost her balance and fell, injuring her back. Despite the pain, she pressed on, unaware of what the next few hours would bring.

“Within two hours, the road was cut off and I was trying not to panic,” she recalls.

“I got on top of my bed with my dog and rang the SES.”

As flood waters entered her home and darkness fell, Sheryl was told help couldn’t reach her until daylight. Looking for somewhere higher, she climbed onto a chair placed on top of her dining table, while her dog perched on top of the kitchen cabinets.

She spent the entire night there, speaking with her daughter in Brisbane and trying not to worry her as the water continued to rise around her.

“I don’t know how I got through the night,” Sheryl says. “I think it was my dog, who was calm and awake with me the entire time.”

The following morning, Sheryl’s brother-in-law rescued her by boat and took her to higher ground. She was later airlifted to hospital, where doctors discovered she had suffered three broken ribs.

“I lost everything,” she says. “I got out with basic clothes, my handbag, wallet and keys. Everything else was gone.”

After the floods, Sheryl moved to Brisbane to live with her daughter and family, while she recovered and searched for a place of her own.

For three years, she searched without success. Then, with her daughter’s help, she found out about a new BHC development in Chermside and applied.

“My daughter was with me when I first viewed the property. I was so excited, but I was trying not to get my hopes up.”

When she learned she secured a home, it marked the beginning of a new chapter.

“Moving here has meant absolutely everything to me,” she says. “I love my home. I’ve never had a brand-new home in my life.”

Shortly after moving in, Sheryl’s Housing Manager, Abbey, told her about BHC’s Kickstart Grant. Having lost all her possessions, the grant allowed Sheryl to pay off her lay-by for a new bedframe and mattress sooner than expected.

“It was so wonderful. I didn’t expect it and I was so grateful,” she says. “I was just so grateful for getting my unit.”

The grant helped Sheryl settle into her home more quickly, giving her one less thing to worry about.

Today, Sheryl shares her home with Archie, a rescue dog she adopted after moving. She enjoys being close to her daughters and grandchildren and says she has found a renewed sense of peace and belonging.

“I feel safe. I go to bed every night and have the best sleep,” she says. “I won’t be leaving this place. This is my home.”