THE KINDNESS OF Strangers

AS HURRICANE HARVEY’S FLOODWATERS POURED into his family’s Houston home on Aug. 28, Isiah Courtney slung sacks of clothing over his shoulder, lifted his 85-lb. pit bull in his arms and led his wife and two young children to safety.

Two days later, the 28-year-old father reversed that trek, returning home for the first time since the storm slammed through Texas, causing an estimated $150 billion in damage and leaving more than 70 people dead. Courtney and his wife found their three-bedroom house in shambles. Their 1-year-old daughter’s crib was soaked, mold covered the cabinets, and nearly every appliance they owned was destroyed.

Courtney, who works as a coordinator at an oil company, had no flood insurance and nowhere near enough savings to pay for repairs. At a moment when all of Houston was hurting, friends and relatives could contribute only so much. So Courtney decided to seek support from strangers.

He started a GoFundMe page asking for $40,000 to repair his home and replace lost appliances and furniture. “Anything will help,” he wrote, below a news photo that showed his family