PONCE, Puerto Rico — "My house gone, completely, all of it," says Frank Cerrano, tearing up.
- Factory worker Frank Cerrano lost his home in Maria
- Neighbor of 40 years opened his home to Cerrano's family
- Cerrano will be moving into new home in about 2 months
For 38 years, he's worked at Rovira Biscuit Corporation in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
He was left homeless after Hurricane Maria flattened his home.
Six months on, his property is now a construction zone -- with a small photo of his intact home before the hurricane posted on a metal fence in front.
He takes a deep sigh and holds back tears.
After a few moments, Cerrano says, "To see everything you own, gone. It's not easy," he says, shaking his head in disbelief.
But that's when his neighbor of 40 years stepped in.
Cerrano and his family have been living with Humberto Rodriguez and his wife.
"I come from a family of 11 siblings," Cerrano says in Spanish. "We are a tight family and know about helping each other and loving thy neighbor."
Cerrano's wife, daughter and special-needs adult son will move into their new home in about two months. He thanks the Federal Emergency Management Agency for cutting them a check quickly, which allowed them to get the ball rolling on rebuilding their home and life.
In the backyard, remnants of Maria are being used in the reconstruction of the home, so what's old is new again.
And a marquesina — a front porch — which he didn't have before has Cerrano smiling again.