Flag still flies amid destruction in Texas
ROCKPORT, Texas - Amid the destruction and the rubble in Rockport, Texas after Hurricane Harvey slammed into the state over the weekend was a sign of comfort for some: The American flag.
Bill Coxwell's business was destroyed in the storm, but he found his flag in the debris. "I found it in the rubble and I thought it was fitting to put it up. It feels like we've been through a war," Coxwell said.
He plans to rebuild, but he says it will take a while. "We'll rebuild. It's going to take time. But I think everybody will help everybody and maybe that's part of why I put the flag up," he said.
The flag still flies at the Webb family's auto mechanic shop. Half the building collapsed and the other half was gone, but the storefront leaning on a pile of rubble still held the flag. "It's definitely not easy. It's pretty emotional seeing all this hard work completely destroyed. There's a few items left," said Taylor Webb.
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And at a furniture store nearby, an employee flies both Old Glory and the Texas state flag. The business is severely damaged and their warehouse down the street collapsed, but the flags fly as a sign of rebuilding."I love this town, I love these people. We're going to come back. I know we are. We're strong, we have heart," said Gail White, breaking down into tears.
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Harvey, which made landfall late Friday as a Category 4 hurricane and has lingered just off the coast dropping heavy rain as a tropical storm, sent devastating floods pouring into Houston on Sunday. The rising water chased thousands of people to rooftops or higher ground and overwhelmed rescuers who could not keep up with the constant calls for help.
Some of the worst damage appeared to be in Rockport, a coastal city of about 10,000 that was directly in the storm's path. The mayor said his community took a blow "right on the nose" that left "widespread devastation," including homes, businesses and schools that were heavily damaged. Some structures were destroyed.