For over three years, my family and I have battled severe storm drainage issues in our Hoover home, causing water and sewage to enter our property.
I am a Marine who served three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2007 and 2012. The wounds I sustained left me permanently disabled. My wife is a professor at Samford University, and we believed we had found our slice of the American dream right here in Hoover when we purchased our beautiful home. Our "dream home" quickly became a nightmare. Our two children, ages 18 months and three, were the first to get sick.
When it rains, stormwater – sometimes resembling river rapids – floods our backyard, flows beneath our home, seeps into our basement, and surges down our street, affecting our neighbors as well.
We called the City to report the stench and the thousands of gallons of water entering our home and yard. We wrote letters, made calls, and begged for help more than 30 times. The only response I received was a form letter telling me the problem was on private property, and therefore not the City's concern.
We've spent over $20,000 trying to protect our home, but water continues to invade our basement and come up through the floors. Black mold has developed, and our family's health continues to deteriorate.
The flooding is caused by an aging, City-installed concrete drainage pipe – original to Hoover’s founding – that has completely collapsed.
Whenever storm clouds appear on the horizon, our worries and anxiety grow.
I’m not someone who seeks special treatment or plays the victim, but the only response I received from City leadership was silence. We spent our life savings and scraped together everything we could spare to try to combat this deluge of contaminated water.
Last week, I opened the door to meet Nick Derzis, a kind and thoughtful man who introduced himself as the current Hoover police chief running for mayor. He simply asked for my vote.
I took the opportunity to share my story. He listened, and we quickly bonded.
My brother, who also served in Afghanistan, was killed in action in 2009 and lies buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Derzis told me his late father was a U.S. Army Colonel who served for 30 years, and he is also interred in Arlington Cemetery, just like my brother.
Derzis didn’t just listen – he came to our property, saw the damage firsthand, and promised to help whether elected or not, giving us a measure of hope.
Since our meeting, a nonprofit veterans group called “Helping A Hero” has moved our family into a hotel so we can escape the black mold and avoid further health risks.
As a citizen of Hoover, I’m so thankful I encountered someone who listens, cares and acts, putting families over bureaucracy and service before politics.
Sgt. Amos Benjamin, USMC (Ret) is a 100% disabled combat veteran whose wartime experiences were featured in Unbroken Bonds of Battle: A Modern Warriors Book of Heroism, Patriotism, and Friendship. He now advocates for fellow combat veterans while living in Hoover with his family.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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