Terry Waters stood in the middle of his living room.
Ash and glass littered the floor and the once-white walls were licked by flames, which burned more than half the house and destroyed two of his vehicles in the Forest Brook neighborhood.
Terry Waters found out his insurance had lapsed after a fire severely damaged his home in the Forestbrook community near Myrtle Beach. The community is stepping up to help with a social media campaign. Waters said it was a “nightmare” but with the help of the community, he was determined to rebuild.
Waters picked up a melted remote that connected to a flat-screen TV that was still mounted on the wall. “I’m sitting right over there,” Waters said, pointing to a far wall.
The 54-year-old was watching a football game on his couch when a fire started in his garage and quickly spread through the house, forcing him and his daughter to flee.
Now, Waters is dealing with the aftermath, which includes finding out he no longer has his home insurance — another tragedy that adds to an already difficult year for Waters, who lost his wife to cancer in January.
The loss on his home insurance stemmed from an apparent miscommunication that occurred when he was repaying his mortgage after his wife’s death. But that leaves Waters unable to pay for repairs or possible reconstruction of the home.
Terry Waters found out his insurance had lapsed after a fire severely damaged his home in the Forestbrook community near Myrtle Beach. The community is stepping up to help with a social media campaign. Waters said it was a “nightmare” but with the help of the community, he was determined to rebuild.
However, a social media post from a friend sparked a community movement, with businesses and volunteers stepping up to donate time, labor and skills to help Waters restore his home for free.
“I can’t imagine anyone going through what I went through this year,” Waters said. “But with the guys around me, we can get it done.
“I’m just overwhelmed. It’s a blessing.”
“When I got the last kiss”
Nicole Waters was diagnosed with cancer in June 2024. Terry Waters said by the time doctors prepared to operate, she had developed a mass “the size of her head” and the cancer had spread to her liver, lungs and spine.
Terry Waters’ wife Nicole Waters died of cancer in January 2025.
She began chemotherapy, which ultimately failed. Doctors want to call hospice; Waters urges extra specialists.
The couple got in touch with another cancer specialist, but before they could see Nicole, she fell ill and had to be taken to hospital.
The 45-year-old passed away on January 5, 2025.
“December 31st is our 20th wedding anniversary,” Waters said. “That’s when I had my last kiss.”
Harry the dog reminds family to start fire
On November 30, 2025, Waters was with his dog Harry when he heard a bang. Harry stood up and started smelling along the wall near the garage that led outside, then sat in the kitchen, facing the garage door.
Waters followed the dog toward the garage entrance. “When I opened the door, I was almost knocked out by the smoke and flames,” Waters said.
He quickly closed the door and yelled for his 18-year-old daughter Emily to grab Harry and leave the house.
The two were able to escape, but the fire caused significant damage. The garage is gone and the ceiling and roof have caved in. The bedroom survived; however, the entire house sustained water and smoke damage.
Waters thanked his dog for saving him. “If I were asleep, I wouldn’t be able to tell,” he said.
For Emily, home is where she grew up. Her parents bought her when she was about two weeks old.
The family salvaged several items from the home. Other items were donated, including a free place to stay for the father and daughter.
The move will allow Waters to save money to help rebuild his home since he has no insurance to cover the costs.
Terry Waters found out his insurance had lapsed after a fire severely damaged his home in the Forestbrook community near Myrtle Beach. The community is stepping up to help with a social media campaign. Waters said it was a “nightmare” but with the help of the community, he was determined to rebuild.
After using his wife’s insurance funds to pay off the mortgage, the policy lapsed. The mortgage payment includes the cost of home insurance, which is paid monthly through the mortgage company to the insurance company.
However, when the mortgage was paid off, apparently the insurance company was never notified, Waters said. After three weeks of non-payment, the policy was canceled without Waters’ knowledge.
“I knew it was partly my fault and that I should have stuck with it,” Waters said. “I thought I wasn’t going to get paid until next year.”
Communities step up to help
When Jason Black learned about the family’s situation from Waters’ friend, Nicole Newman Dula, he posted a plea for help on Facebook.
people responded.
Several businesses, including Joey Huntley and J. Huntley Plumbing, have offered to take on different parts of the rebuild. Waters also made contact with an electrician and roofer. Donations poured in, reaching nearly $35,000.
“I’m just doing what I was taught to do growing up, which is help your neighbor and help as many people in need as possible,” Huntley said. “Believe me, my family has been through hard times in life. I know what bad luck means.”
Huntley lived down the street from Waters. On the day of the fire, he was outside cleaning his work truck when he heard a bang. When he looked back, he saw a wisp of smoke. “When I went from my house to his house, it was gone,” Huntley said.
Huntley provides the plumbing services for free, and there are other companies that will donate parts for the job, he said.
“I’m by no means a rich man, but I’m good at what I do,” Huntley said, adding that he was also a single father for many years.
Huntley was one of several people who helped clean up around Waters’ home. He plans to go back and power wash his driveway.
Waters, the property rights researcher, also praised his company, Title Wave Real Estate, which continued to pay him while off work after the fire. “They are the best company I have ever worked for,” he said.
On December 18, 2025, Waters received another surprise. After being nominated for a car giveaway, he received a car as a gift from The Car Store, 4625 Dick Pond Road in the Myrtle Beach area.
Two of Terry Waters’ vehicles, including a Jeep given as a graduation gift to Emily Waters, were destroyed in a house fire on November 20, 2025. The community has stepped up to help a father and daughter who live in the Forestbrook community in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, area.
It will replace one of two vehicles he lost in the fire.
“It was a nightmare,” Waters said of the fire. However, he hopes the first day of the year will bring good news.
“I won’t give up,” he said. “I’m a theater actor.”
