“And that’s after I spoke with three people and was transferred three times for a total of 55 minutes,” he said. “I got nowhere, and had to send it again. I brought the same photocopied document to the rep at the Ice Arena and he found nothing wrong with it, and it was very easy for him to read. He didn’t understand why they wouldn’t accept it.”

Freedman said that she has applied for grants and was approved for a Small Business Administration loan, but she chose not to take on the debt. Now, she said, she may have to reapply because the money is not coming quickly enough.

“It’s a nightmare,” she said. “I’m hoping to be optimistic, but I’m Irish, so I feel like I’m going through the potato famine or something.”

After he met with his bank rep, Leis, who has been living with his in-laws in Long Beach, said he was informed that he would soon receive a $40,000 check so he can begin repairing his home.

“You can’t give up,” he said. “To actually talk to someone made it a little more personal, instead of talking on the phone and getting someone different every time. I think my patience really paid off.”