Horizon City family loses home to flooding amid mothers life-saving kidney donation

Horizon City family loses home to flooding amid mothers life-saving kidney donation by Destiny Venecia Sun, November 8, 2026 at 10:24 PM 5 VIEW ALL PHOTOS El Paso family loses home to flooding as mother donates kidney (Credit: KFOX14/CBS4) Comment on this story 0 Comment Share story Share topics: Horizon City Flooding Kidney donation GoFundMe Family recovery Sewage contamination Temporary housing El Paso County EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — A Horizon City family is facing an uncertain road to recovery after their longtime family home was severely damaged by flooding associated with the recent Horizon City flooding. Two life-changing challenges as a mother was preparing to donate a kidney to save her brother's life. Now, both are recovering from surgery with no home to return to. For Isabel Garcia Trevino, the timing made an already devastating situation even harder to process. Her mother recently donated a kidney to her brother, who had spent years battling kidney failure and undergoing dialysis. The transplant was a success, but as the family celebrated the life-saving procedure, they were also dealing with the loss of the home her mother and grandmother had shared for nearly 40 years. "My mom had the courage to, you know, go out and donate her kidney and give a person life, give my uncle his life back. And it's like a miracle that's happening," Trevino said. "And it's just so bittersweet to know that miracles are being done in the hospital, but they don't have a home to come home to." Trevino said she learned about the flooding after work on Monday, October 28th, 2026. By then, her family had already been dealing with rising water for hours. The damage left the home severely affected, with water reaching furniture, beds, and other belongings. Trevino said the water was contaminated with sewage, leaving little hope of salvaging what remained. Her grandparents had lived in the home for approximately 40 years. One of the most heartbreaking losses for the family was the destruction of personal photographs and memories. Trevino said her grandmother tried to save her pictures while evacuating, but many of those memories are now gone. "My grandma is the one that hurts me the most," Trevino said. "She was looking for her pictures, you know, when she was trying to evacuate the home. And her pictures, her memories are gone. Everything's gone." The flooding also destroyed the bed her mother had prepared to recover in after surgery. Before the flooding, Trevino's family had been preparing for a major milestone. Her uncle had spent years on dialysis, while her mother made the decision to donate one of her kidneys to give him another chance at life. RELATED: County seeks more volunteers as cleanup continues for 190+ flood-damaged Horizon homes Trevino said her mother's surgery lasted approximately five hours. Her uncle also underwent surgery to receive the donated kidney. Despite the circumstances, the family received encouraging news about their recovery. Trevino said her mother began taking her first steps following surgery, while her uncle was recovering in the intensive care unit. Both have since been released from the hospital and are able to walk and eat on their own. But the family now faces another challenge: finding a safe and stable place to recover. With their longtime home no longer livable, family members have stepped in to provide temporary housing. Trevino said her mother is staying with one relative, while her uncle and grandmother are staying with another. In total, eight people are sharing a three-bedroom home. RELATED: Horizon city residents question flood response as County outlines recovery resources Although she is grateful for the support, Trevino said temporary housing cannot replace the comfort and security of having a home. "There's nothing like coming back to your home, that place where you're supposed to feel safe, that place that you're supposed to feel, you know, peace. And they don't have that anymore," she said. Trevino said her family's immediate priority is their health, but having a home where her mother, uncle, and grandmother can continue recovering is also essential. Trevino and her cousin have started a GoFundMe to help the family rebuild after losing nearly four decades of belongings and memories. She said the family is grateful for the support they have already received from relatives, friends, and the El Paso community. While asking for help has not been easy, Trevino hopes sharing their story will bring attention to families affected by the flooding. "It's not like us to ask for help, but we need it," she said. For now, the family is taking things one day at a time, holding onto the positive news surrounding the transplant while trying to figure out what comes next. Trevino said she hopes her family can eventually rebuild and have a place to call home again. RELATED: El Paso County seeks volunteers, donations as Horizon flood damage tops 190 homes Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox. NEWS IN PHOTOS: " Local " 5 NEW Horizon City family loses home to flooding amid mothers life-saving kidney donation 3 East El Paso’s Trophie Gaming hit by second break-in in under a week 4 El Paso Zoo throws 10th birthday party for Taj the rhino 5 First Borderlands Renaissance Faire draws big crowd in El Paso