Flood waters rise...

Posted by Renee Blixt Sep 22, 2008

Parts of Chicago and Northwest Indiana flooded last week. My parents were among the mandatory evacuees. Their home phone line was down, and they weren’t answering their cell phone.

When they finally called me, it was from their cell phone. “We’re standing on the front steps waiting for a boat to come down the street to pick us up.” There’s a sentence I never thought I would hear. “We’ll call you when they get there.”

After hours of worrying, the phone rang. “We are okay,” my Mom said. “We are at an evacuation site.”

What did you grab from the house?

“Well, I grabbed pillows and my watch.”

Anything else?

“Dad grabbed his wallet.”

It has been about a week now and my parents are living with us for a while. The governor of Indiana declared the area a disaster and we are filing insurance, getting replacement medications, ID’s, checkbooks, etc…

My parents have probably lost everything as the house will most likely be condemned. Since they are unable to go back, they have no clothes, food, cars, or even hygiene items.

Of course, there is a lesson to be learned, albeit a painful one.

People must keep their heads in a crisis and prepare for it before it happens.

Good luck to all the flood victims. My heart goes out to you. Stay safe.