A fundraiser has been set up for a former Chilliwack couple whose retirement home was swept down the Nicola River during last Monday鈥檚 torrential downpour.

Kim Cardinal and husband Lorn Thibodeau鈥檚 riverside property 鈥� which included a house, shop and cabin 鈥� was located along Highway 8 between Spences Bridge and Merritt.

They lived and worked in Chilliwack for 30 years before buying their retirement property two years ago. They had returned to their home along the Nicola River just two months ago after having to evacuate this past summer for three months as a result of the B.C. wildfires.

鈥淎fter a terrible summer being evacuated from their home, Lorn and Kim have now lost their home and almost all of their belongings. They watched as their home was swept away right in front of them,鈥� wrote niece Melissa MacKay on the .

鈥淭heir entire property was taken over by the Thompson-Nicola River, everything is gone.鈥�

Friend Jeff Bonner put their story into a video and shared it on social media. It includes raw footage Kim shot of their house in the river on Nov. 15.

(Video produced by Jeff Bonner)

With the road washed out in both directions, the couple was stranded overnight and they built a fire to keep warm. Twenty-four hours later, crews in a Telus helicopter flying overhead spotted them along with an RCMP officer who was with them.

Kim was rescued on Nov. 16 while Lorn stayed behind with the animals for four days until he and the animals could be airlifted out.

Kim and Lorn鈥檚 children who live in Chilliwack are now asking for folks to help their parents.

鈥淚nsurance is not covering them, they still owe a mortgage on land that does not exist anymore,鈥� said son Michael Thibodeau.

ICBC is also not covering his parents鈥� trailer and truck that was left abandoned on the road as there was no damage done to the vehicles, he added.

Additionally, Lorn who still works at Prime Signs in Chilliwack, hasn鈥檛 been able to work for two years due to an injury.

鈥淚f you can spare anything to help them it would mean a lot as they have a long road ahead of them. They planned on retiring here and now that has been ripped away from them,鈥� MacKay said.

鈥淟orn and Kim are the people who would give the shirts off their backs to help anyone or animal. Please help if you can.鈥�

To donate to Kim and Lorn, go to .