SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- On the outside, Meghan Hovdey and her dog Hank’s home is decorated for Christmas.
But on the inside, it’s a completely different story.
“Obviously, putting in new flooring, repairing the walls at some point, buying new furniture and clothes,” said Hovdey, a detective with the San Diego Police Department's Homicide Unit.
It’s not her version of being ready for the holidays, with plastic zipper doors and fans in almost every room.
“I shined a flashlight through my vent, and I could see about 10 inches of standing water,” said Hovdey.
In October, Hovdey discovered a leak coming from a tiny hole in her pipes.
“It flooded the whole crawl space,” said Hovdey.
Standing water in the subfloor meant mold.
“I went to plug something in that outlet and the whole backside of my dresser was covered in mold,” said Hovdey.
She alerted her homeowners insurance provider immediately, but since there isn’t an exact time frame of when the leak started, Hovdey said insurance would likely not cover it.
Hovdey said the insurance provider’s response left her “shocked” and “dumbfounded.”
Hovdey’s forever home was transformed in an instant, and there is now an estimated $50,000 worth of repair and restoration looming over her head.
“You know, I have done a lot of work as I've lived here. It's my forever home, which is why … it's obviously been a very emotional time,” said Hovdey.
But her neighbors, coworkers, and friends aren't letting her or Hank go through it alone.
“They offered me to stay in their home. I think I'm just used to doing things on my own. I will never not help someone else, but to have it returned to me is, I just feel so blessed with everybody that's rallied behind me,” said Hovdey.
Hovdey's Homicide Unit teammates set up a GoFundMe account to help with repairs and other expenses.
