NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Melanie Buffum lost most of her belongings when her New Port Richey home flooded during Hurricane Helene.
She was able to save her three family urns, a bible her late husband gave her, and her father's military burial flag.
That flag was soaked from the filthy flood waters.
"But at least I have it,” she told us last month.
The Pasco Patriots Association found out about Melanie's plight and took the flag to Quality Plus Cleaners where Hassan Agemy has been in business for 40 years.
Cleaning American flags is one of their specialties.
"Naturally we are very careful with them,” he told me.
They work to get those Stars and Stripes back as bright as before.
"See how nice the press is,” he said.
Melanie, who has early onset dementia, has been living in a hotel. That's where we found her Saturday as one of the founders of Pasco Patriots, Thomas DeLuca, brought her back the flag.
"How does it look,” he asked Melanie.
"It looks wonderful,” she said with tears in her eyes.
The Pasco Patriots told Melanie they ordered a special engraved case for her to put that flag in.
"There's been so many people affected by the storms we've had recently. You find out about something as special as a flag from a World War II veteran. You gotta step in and help out,” said DeLuca.
Meanwhile, Melanie is homeless.
"I've been taking one day at a time."
She says she hopes to use insurance money to find a new home because the idea of rebuilding is too much to take.
"This is the third time that I've been through this and I just don't think I can go through it again."
Hassan says Quality Pro Cleaners will clean and press any veterans' flag at no cost and he's happy to know Melanie's flag is back where it belongs.
"It's a beautiful thing and I'm glad we were a part of it,” said Agemy.
