For Margaret Romanski’s family, getting back to normal won’t be easy.
Romanski’s basement is completely flooded.
Inside their Pierrefonds home, there’s no power — it’s cold and wet.
In the middle of their loss though, they’ve gained a renewed sense of hope in humanity.
READ MORE: 30 homes evacuated after flooding in Pierrefonds-Roxboro, Île Bizard
Many have come to lend a helping hand to the family, but out of all the volunteers, one really stands out.
After seeing the conditions in which Romanski was living with her family, the Maheu-Alvarado family stepped up to help.
They opened the doors of their home to Romanski and her children, including their pet bird Blue.
Thanks to the Maheu-Alvarado, they now have a warm and dry place to sleep until they find a new home.
Romanski says it was an unexpected gesture.
“I was shocked — a stranger coming from the street and offer you… I didn’t even know what to tell her, but I accepted,” Romanski said.
For the Maheu-Alvarado, helping out was the natural thing to do.
“No human being should live like that — period,” Rose Espinales-Alvarado said.
“I was like, ‘I know this might sound weird or crazy, but if you want, we have space in our house. If you want, you can come over.'”
Efforts to save Romanski’s home still continue.
READ MORE: Quebec floods: Volunteers come to the rescue
She says that knowing there are still good people out in the world, is helping her cope with the uncertainty.