BRIDGE CITY, La. — A couple of dozen volunteers spent the weekend outside in the heat to help a police officer whose roof was falling in. It's giving this police officer a lot of relief as she has also been grieving a big loss in her family.
Officer Rose Cauthron and her brother's home in Bridge City was severely damaged in a storm last month. The roof began collapsing in and needed to be replaced.
"The wind and the rain that came in, it was just too much," Cauthron said.
Cauthron works with Causeway Police and formerly worked with the New Orleans Police Department. The collapsing roof isn't even the biggest trial she's currently facing.
"We just had a death in the family. A child died in our family about a month ago," she said.
June 21, she lost her stepson, 18-year-old Edward Rose.
"Accidental gunshot," she said.
The grief, the roof, and her brother's mental health have all been overwhelming.
"My brother had a couple episodes where he felt like he didn't want to live anymore. He was put in the hospital a couple weeks. Working, working, keeping with job and house falling apart. Everyday life, right?" she said.
Seeking help for PTSD, Cauthron reached out to a stranger on Facebook, Michael Parker, who volunteers with Project Refit.
"Mostly just to vent about everything going on and I knew we couldn't do anything about her stepson or her brother, but I was like we can raise this money, we can help her out," Parker said.
Project Refit an organization that helps first responders, active duty military, and veterans dealing with isolation or PTSD. Cauthron and the group raised $8,500 to fund repairs. Volunteers came from all over including New Jersey, Arkansas, and Northern Louisiana. Locals stepped up too.
"Actually really grateful for NOLA Church. I called them and they sent volunteers everyday," Parker said.
Volunteers camped outside in tents.
"Someone actually messaged me the other night like, 'I can get you a hotel room.' I was like, 'No, we don't want that.' We don't want a hotel room because we want to be out there, a part of this, in it. We don't want to leave her alone at all," said Project Refit Co-Founder, James Corbett.
"If I could give them all six figures for what they've done I would, but I just can't," Cauthron said.
Volunteers expect to wrap up the project Monday.