Some Hurricane Harvey evacuees came to Central Texas...and never left.
The Toler family left Houston right before Hurricane Harvey hit the Houston area.
"We were preparing to leave and everyone was looking at us like we were crazy," Barbara Toler said.
Toler, her husband, five kids, brother-in-law hand mother-in-law headed towards Central Texas.
They ended up in Bellmead at a hotel and went to Church of the Open Door for things like toiletries.
"It should be more called the Church of the Open Arms because they were like just willing to do whatever needed to be done," Broderick Toler said.
The Toler family lived in a hotel for a month with a FEMA hotel voucher. During that month, Barbara and her husband Broderick found jobs, enrolled their kids in school with La Vega ISD and found a home in Robinson.
"Harvey was an answer to our prayers," Barbara said. "I just think that it's opened up many doors of opportunity for [our kids] that they would have never seen, not where we were."
The Toler family had wanted to leave the Houston area before Harvey hit. Harvey gave them a reason to leave and start the process of making improvements in their lives and the lives of their kids.
Their home in Houston was not damaged by Harvey, but after evacuating to Central Texas, the family decided they wanted to stay.
Barbara said their neighbors have welcomed them and even brought muffins over during their first month in the new house.
Copyright 2017 KXXV. All rights reserved.
