Neighbors Help Each Other Find Shelter in Harvey's Aftermath

The storm is far from over, but for many Houston families, complete strangers helped them get through the worst of times.

Skip Westfall, a lifelong Houstonian, lost everything in his flooded home.

"You can still see the water line, but it splashed up here. But it got that way very quickly, and all this was floating," he said.

Westfall knows water rescues. He lives in Houston's Meyerland area, which is prone to flooding. He's rescued many neighbors in past storms, but his spirit remains high.

"All the neighbors, we're all taking care of each other," he said.

A few blocks away, Cindy Ruiz Mansfield and her family had flood waters up to their waists in their home.

"We quickly realized there's a brand new house that's lifted right behind us," Mansfield said.

She called the home builder to see if her family could seek refuge, because the home is built four feet off the ground and engineered to withstand flooding. Her family climbed a ladder, hopped a fence to a dry porch and went inside.

She now wants to thank Meritage homes for the refuge.

"I called a stranger on the phone and asked if we could get into their house. A brand new house that no one has lived in. Gratitude. People have been very helpful. This was absolutely neighbors helping neighbors," she said.

Neighbor Sajiah Chmaitelli also has peace of mind that she has a roof over her head if the water rises again.

"That's what makes this town special. That's what makes this area special," Chmaitelli said.

It will be a few months before the families will be back in their homes, and for many the road back home is through a river. It will take some time, but they are Texas strong.