Four weeks later, the Letcher County man is still seeking help repairing the destroyed home

CROMONA, Ky. (WYMT) Richard Combs has spent the past four weeks cleaning up his property in the Letcher County Cromona Community.

The former coal miner is 69 years old and is struggling to complete the heavy duty.

“I can only do so much physically with my hands, I’m trying to salvage what I can but that’s all, I don’t know what I’m going to do, I don’t know how I’m going to do it ,” said Combs when fighting a pick-up.

Combs has lived on his Cromona property since the late ’70s and says he hasn’t seen flooding like what preceded his property four weeks ago.

Combs and his ex-wife got along so well, that she lived in the adjoining house with him for several years.

Her home suffered damage from the floods in July.

It was thrown off the floor, the floor warped and the chimney got in.

“I don’t know what we’re going to do but we need help, I know it,” Combs said.

That help did not come.

Combs’ ex-wife was denied her FEMA application, saying she doesn’t own the home and cannot claim it.

She is attractive.

Meanwhile, Combs has visited FEMA officials nine times to seek assistance from the agency, but those visits have, so far, been empty-handed.

“My request has to be processed but every day is a different business, it is a different form, and I don’t know why it took so long,” Combs said.

FEMA’s help was the only help he could get.

Combs is disabled, along with his ex-wife.

The duo had limited income, which forced Combs to choose auto insurance over home insurance, with monthly risk.

“I live on Social Security with a disability, and it doesn’t go far and that’s my situation and I’m just asking for help from somewhere, I don’t know anyone,” Combs said.

Now he’s just asking anyone to listen. He is also asking for anyone who can help.

“I wish Governor Beshear would come here, I wish Joe Biden would come here and just walk with me for a minute,” Combs said. “Maybe it’ll light a fire, and someone will come and help us.”

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