Ont. family living in Port aux Basques loses home to Hurricane Fiona's wrath
The home of a former Barrie, Ont. family living in Port aux Basques, Newfoundland, was destroyed as Hurricane Fiona hit the coast last week.
Captured in a photo by Wreckhouse Press and shared worldwide, the image shows the blue home teetering on the edge of a cliff before being swept into the sea.
For Peggy and Josh Savery, the now iconic photo is a reminder of everything they've lost.
"It breaks you every time you see it because it's still so surreal. It's hard to believe," Peggy said.
Peggy and her family are among dozens in the small coastal town of Newfoundland sifting through storm wreckage that carved out a path of destruction across parts of Atlantic Canada and eastern Quebec.
"For us, we lost everything, but I can't even explain the devastation that others have gone through," Peggy said.
The family moved to Newfoundland three years ago. The 80-year-old home represented a dream of a coastal retirement.
"We wholeheartedly believed that once the wind passed, made a splash, and it was done we would be going back to our house the next day. No one expected this level of devastation," Josh said.
Aftermath of the Savery family home in Port aux Basque, N.L. (Submitted by Peggy Savery)
While the community pulls together, Peggy's former colleagues at Ardagh Bluffs Public School in Barrie are offering their support.
"It really came down to Peggy supporting all the kids and staff at our school, and I'm here today to help her," said Greg Harris, former Ardagh Bluffs Public School teacher-librarian.
A GoFundMe campaign created by one of Peggy's sons is being shared far and wide.
"It's really hard for people here, away from them, to know how to help them. I mean, everything is gone," said Allison Thomas, former principal at Ardagh Bluffs Public School.
Washed away by Fiona, Peggy hopes the money will also help others as the road to recovery is expected to be long.
"It's not something we know where it's going yet, but it's definitely not just about us," Peggy said.
As of Thursday afternoon, nearly $27,000 had been raised.
Peggy said it's too early to know if they'll rebuild as they piece their lives back together.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.