Spent today with my son and a couple of his friends emptying out his muddy place. Could never have imagined what it would be like to have everything you own destroyed in a flood. Sure I have seen it on the News. We all remember Katrina.
Binghamton is at the confluence of two rivers the Chenango and the Susquehanna. We experienced severe flooding back in 2006 which was suppose to be the 100 year flood. So shouldn't it be another 100 years before we suffer another? Guess not. This time it was worse. First some areas experienced flash flooding from creeks overflowing and then it was the major rivers. It rained so hard in a 24 hour period that the rivers rose a foot an hour.
My son was evacuated from his home in the early hours on Thursday by Fan Boat with the water chest high. Today the water receded and left a thick sticky muddy layer on everything in its path. My son didn't have much, a few pieces of hand me down furniture mostly. Now all his stuff sits at the curb in a pile awaiting the trash hauler to take it away. His whole neighborhood is suffering as are others in the area. To see the possessions that people held dear, their cherished family heirlooms piled on the curb was almost too much to bare. To be displaced from your home, your sanctuary from the world, many forced to live for days in a high school gymnasium or similar facility, I can imagine few things more stressful.
We can be very thankful though that no lives were lost. The human spirit is resilient and those affected will rebuild. I will be there for my son every step of the way. I will seek out just the perfect new hand me downs to replace his old ones. After I do, I will post pictures of his cute new place and we can all celebrate his fresh new start together.
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