My wife and I recently purchased our family land from my mother, as she was no longer able to keep up with the property taxes. Since it was such a recent purchase, and the land was staying in the family, we hadn’t yet switched the homeowners insurance into our names. Unfortunately, we learned the hard way that this means nothing is covered.

Central New York just endured the worst winter in over 20 years, and the weight of the snow caused the roof of our shed to collapse. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and the homes on the property made it through well enough. But the loss of the shed has been devastating.

This wasn’t just any storage space—it held three generations’ worth of collected treasures, personal keepsakes, and irreplaceable heirlooms. From well-worn tools passed down through our family to sentimental mementos with little monetary value but deep personal significance, every item had a story. The loss is more than material; it’s a heartbreaking separation from our past, our loved ones, and the memories we cherished.

Our immediate goal is to purchase a shipping container to safely store whatever we can salvage from the wreckage while we work toward rebuilding or finding a more permanent solution.

Additionally, the collapsed roof and snow continue to push the standing walls outward, creating a serious safety hazard. The entire structure needs to be taken down as soon as possible, before we can even go in and attempt to salvage any items, and disposal of the rubble will be costly.

We truly believed the insurance would still be in place, so we were completely unprepared for such a large, immediate expense. We are reaching out in the hopes of finding any assistance to help us recover from this unexpected loss. Any support—big or small—means the world to us and will help us take the first steps toward rebuilding.