Fran Recovery is Still Not Over for Some

For the past three months, workers have virtually lived in Laurie Payne's home. She wanted to start re-building immediately after Hurricane Fran tore off some parts of her house and left other parts crushed, but there was a problem -- a $150,000 problem.

Payne and her husband have experienced one delay after another, beginning with the issue of getting their insurance claim settled. That one, she says, took months to resolve.

Payne says she's been out of her home for almost a year and that she's spent a lot of that time crying.

Fran removed a huge tree from the Paynes' yard and deposited it in their kitchen. Then, while Laurie and her husband slept in the basement, the storm ripped away windows, floors, walls, and parts of the roof. By 4:30 the following morning, the Paynes thought the worst had passed, but when they ventured upstairs, they found it had only just begun.

Problems with the insurance claim were finally resolved and the Paynes began rebuilding. They have learned patience.

The outward destruction can be repaired. Emotional scarring is less obvious. Payne says she is haunted by the sound of wind now.

Payne says it will only be a few more weeks before her family can finally move back home, but she knows things will never be quite the same.