We hope the Wenners fare better than their home

To the editor:

The Wenner’s home is tipping now into the river, last fall they evacuated and the duplex they moved to burned this spring. They have just left the state. There were good people, and the time they lived in their modest home along the Old Glenn they turned into a delightful home; so cheerful.

Over the following months, the forest of trees disappeared as the river took out about two acres and soon the silty waters of the Matanuska could be seen. Then overnight, their lovely lawn and flowers were under gray silt.

Within hours the house’s foundation was involved. The insurance company offered to pay for carpeting. And with that the battle began.

Insurance would not cover erosion, and the insurer stated that this was an erosion issue, not a flood issue. They kept up their house payments as they tried to negotiate with the insurer. Next, they were told that as they were not living in the house, they paid their insurance against liability in case anyone entered the property to vandalize or explore, which both happened. Next, they were told that their insurance did not cover a house unoccupied for more than 90 days.

They stayed nearby to keep an eye on things and this spring that duplex caught on fire, and what little they had salvaged was lost, including gas money for the trip they decided to take south to the Lower 48.

Folks here in the Butte collected money for their trip with sadness in our hearts, a good family would use the money to leave, but it was needed; they had had enough.

They left this morning, heading up to Tok and then down the Alaska Highway, their few belongings crammed into their car.

Now the Wenner home is nearly gone, each morning a few more degrees more, soon to free itself of its earth ties and sail away, like its owners. We hope the Wenners fare better than their home. We wish them Godspeed and a safe journey, and may the road ahead be smooth and at journey’s end a safe harbor. Their struggle will be remembered and we hold them in our hearts.

Suzanne McCausland

Palmer