The devastation that hit Houston thanks to Hurricane Harvey has left thousands displaced, with homes destroyed and a long, arduous rebuild ahead. The photos and videos of what the hurricane left in its wake reveal the scope and depth of the disaster—freeways under water, entire neighborhoods accessible only by boat, houses swept away.

The devastation was not felt firsthand by a pair of Houston natives on the Austin Peay State University volleyball team, but they've been no less impacted by its wake. And although the terror and destruction that hit their hometown has left them grief-stricken for friends, family and neighbors, they see another side to the aftermath.

Hope.

"It's amazing," said junior Logan Carger. "With all the different things going on in the world, for everyone to drop that and focus on Houston shows the amount of love people have deep inside them. It's a big thing for our country and the state it's in for everyone to decide to love on Houston."

Carger and junior Kaylee Taff were going about their business preparing for the season when Harvey made landfall in Texas, August 25. With Carger's mother and Taff's father in attendance for the opening weekend of the season, each had some familial support as contact in the Houston area became scarce and then non-existent with the storm wiping out all sources of communication.

It also precluded anyone flying home for a while.

"My mom was stranded here," Carger said. "At home in Houston, it's just her by herself. No one was able to drive by and make sure the house was still standing, she couldn't go to work, she only had clothes with her for two days. Her not being where she wanted to be, when she wanted to be there, was super-stressful for her."

"My Dad was here for the Mizzou game," Taff said. "For about a week and a half, it was just my mom and my brothers at home."

Having one another to lean on as information came in was huge for both Carger and Taff, while the support of their teammates, coaches and the Austin Peay community resonated with the pair.

"Kaylee and I had the same thing going, so it was easy for us to talk about it and get past it," Carger said. "It's emotional for me that, even though I'm not even there, there are people willing to help me in this community. And my coaches and teammates are a huge support system around here. When our parents were stranded here, everyone was offering houses and beds and loved on us and supported us. There are teams that don't have that, and that was very important for me."

Taff, whose family has taken in her summer trainer after his house and cars were swept away in the storm, can attest that the outpouring of not only love and compassion but clothes, food and essentials for people who lack even the basics after losing everything has not gone unnoticed in Houston.

"You can't help but want to help people," she said. "It's a chain effect. If people see one person donating something, or contributing to a GoFundMe account, it puts it on their hearts to do something too. Everyone coming in to help each other is an awesome thing to see. (Seeing) Austin Peay giving stuff—it just means the world."

Still, from twelve and a half hours away, there's only so much one can do. Both have been glued to social media as friends and relatives keep them apprised of the daily grind Houston faces as it rises from the ashes of the disaster. Safe, sound and whole in Clarksville, the duo have felt a sense of helplessness—from here, they can't help their communities begin to heal.

"Houston has been through hurricanes before, but to be here in Clarksville and see the devastation on social media—it was something you can't unsee," Carger said. "No city can take 36 straight hours of rain, and it's hard to see that and only be able to provide encouraging words because you can't do anything. I know people everywhere are sending prayer, love and gifts but it's a different ballgame when you're in it."

"It's hard to be here and just watch," Taff said. "It breaks my heart. It almost doesn't seem real. To see downtown Houston eight feet underwater, it hurts me so bad to see the damage that was done."

As things slowly settle down, as Houston—and by extension, Carger and Taff—adjust to the new normal, sadness has given way to hope. Thankfulness has become the emotion du jour. Both know how incredibly fortunate they and their families are.

"Obviously, there are some materialistic things that aren't ours anymore, but my house is still standing and my family is safe and that's what's important," Carger said. "I see everything differently now. I want to try to help anywhere I can, to do for someone else, because when I was in a time of need, so many people were willing to help me."

"Some people have lost their lives, their homes, their animals—there are people trapped in the convention center, people who have lost everything," Taff said. "It just makes you so grateful for what you have. I would never have thought hurricane Harvey would bring the nation together like this. Seeing people helping from different states, opening their houses, using their boats to help rescue people… it's awesome seeing the nation come together."