Six months after Tropical Storm Irene ravaged Schoharie County, the victims reflect on the trials they've been through as a community. Innae Park has more on their message of hope and determination.

  To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

SCHOHARIE, N.Y. – Remembrance, recovery, and hope. Those were the three foundations of a vigil held Tuesday night as Schoharie County residents joined together six months after one of the worst disasters many had ever faced: the floods of Tropical Storm Irene.

Vigil Coordinator Debbie Byrne had her business suffer damage from the floods.

“I never personally experienced anything like this so it's devastating to lose everything,” Byrne said.

Even with so much upheaval, the community’s message to others is that they aren't ever facing the aftermath alone. Dawn Hofmann is rebuilding her home after the flood.

“It's been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of people have been helping us,” she said.

“There’s hope to rebuild and make Schoharie back to what it was. It’s going to take a while, but one light at a time,” said Schoharie resident Gene Amedio.

Offers of counseling and more relief, as well as words of gratitude were all exchanged.

“If you need to get angry, if you need to cry, at least do it as a community, and then offer words and hope and encouragement,” said Byrne.

A prayer was also lifted up for the past, present and most importantly, the future of the area. That is where the people of Schoharie have fixed their eyes.

“We live through it, we gain, we grow stronger, and we rebuild a community that has value,” said Assemblyman Pete Lopez, who represents the county. “What defines us is the strength of our bonds to each other.”