A family forced to flee mold is now on a mission to get home

GREER, SC (FOX Carolina) — When the Brockinton family moved from Florida to South Carolina in 2014, they knew the Sugar Creek neighborhood was exactly where they wanted to be.

“It was our dream neighborhood,” Ashley Brockinton told FOX Carolina. “We were just very happy.”

After a few years, they noticed that each member of the family had a health problem – physical, mental or both.

“I had a feeling maybe there was something environmental … but we had no signs,” Brockinton said.

Doctors had encouraged them to test the house for mold or other toxins, but nothing turned up. It wasn’t until February, when the kitchen floor started to swell, that a musty smell appeared. A more comprehensive test that predicted mold levels based on dust samples revealed the family lived in a toxic environment. The test indicated that there was more than double the level of mold allowed in the house, so they moved.

“We had no idea we were going into debt,” Brockinton said.

Removing the mold, living out of hotels and replacing their possessions (after being forced to throw away 80% of what they owned) drained the family’s resources. The Brockintons have turned to their church for help, which covers the cost of their rented townhouse until October. The couple are rebuilding their gutted home on their own under the guidance of Andy Pace of the Green Design Center, who is providing his expertise on healthy, non-toxic building materials free of charge.

Sam Brockinton said it had been a learning experience for the five children in the family – Isabella, 16, Olivia, 14, Liam, 11, Isaiah, 9 and Malachi, 8.

“I hope we will come together more and more as a family as they see how God provides for us and shows Himself,” he said.

A GoFundMe account has been set up for the Brockintons to help with their remaining expenses. The family hopes to return home before the start of the school year.

“I have a lot of hope. I know every time I pray about it, I feel like God is telling me, “I put you here for a reason.” Stop freaking out,” Sam Brockinton said.

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