By Stephanie Southey
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DAVENPORT, Iowa (KOMU) — A recent MU graduate says she has actually lost all of her possessions after her home building in Davenport, Iowa, partly collapsed over the weekend.
Elizabeth Pruitt, who finished from the Missouri School of Journalism 3 weeks back, moved into the home building at 324 Main Street simply one day prior to it partly collapsed Sunday afternoon.
“This was my first apartment after graduating from the University of Missouri. I moved in on Saturday, the day before it happened,” Pruitt said.
Three individuals stay unaccounted for after the back part of the six-story building collapsed, according to CNN.
The particles from the collapse is presently assisting to hold the building up, CNN reported, however the stability of the building continues to break down.
One huge thing was missing out on however, Pruitt’s cat, Lulu.
A colleague called Pruitt and informed her that 2 cats were being eliminated from the debris Tuesday. Just after she left the phone, she received a text from the Scott County Humane Society.
“It was a longer message, but all I read was, ‘We have Lulu,’ and I just started crying,” Pruitt said.
Pruitt said she still had some doubts about whether it was her cat. But the minute she saw the cat, she said she understood it was Lulu, and a substantial weight was taken off her shoulders.
“I knew it was her as soon as I saw her,” Pruitt said. “She was scared, as she should be, but I picked her up and held her on my shoulder.”
She informed the Quad-City Times she was continuing to process what occurred, however mainly she is worried for the safety of others.
“I still think it’s good that they’re going to tear it down, because it is structurally unsafe, obviously, but there are people in there,” Pruitt informed the Quad-City Times. “My stuff is just stuff. There are memories with it, but most of that I can get back.”
Pruitt said she’s received a lots of assistance, from Davenport regional and from individuals back in Columbia.
“There’s been a ton of people reaching out to me from the [Columbia] Missourian and Mizzou, just seeing if there’s anything they can do to help,” Pruitt said.
Pruitt likewise received help from a colleague who she has actually never ever fulfilled face to face. Gretchen Teske, a business press reporter at the Quad-City Times, was reporting on the occurrence when she found out among individuals who resided in the building, was Pruitt.
Teske didn’t hesitate about assisting Pruitt throughout this tough time.
“We’ve all been that broke intern that comes to town and needs help,” Teske said. “Whether it be to offer a meal or a place to stay, it’s the least I can do.”
Although Teske and Pruitt lastly simply fulfilled, Teske applauded Pruitt’s strength throughout this tough time.
“Elizabeth is an incredibly strong and brave person,” Teske said. “To go through this and still decide to stay here in Davenport and see things through after losing everything, it’s really incredible to see.”
Pruitt is from Lebanon, Missouri, which is a six-hour drive from Davenport.
Pruitt began a GoFundMe to help change the products and keepsakes she lost, in addition to discover a brand-new location to call home as she starts her photo-journalism internship for the Quad-City Times/Dispatch-Argus. If you want to contribute to others effected by the collapse, a list of GoFundMe’s are noted here.
The fund exceeded its $5,000 objective since Wednesday night. Pruitt said the assistance has actually been frustrating.
“I’m getting way more support than I ever thought I would, and it’s a little crazy to me,” Pruitt said. “In my social life I’ve never been the most popular person ever, and right now I’m the most popular person in my community.”
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