Angels walk among us - The Flood of 1994

Moving and going through boxes, I found some photos from years ago in Albany, GA. I will share some of them today on this blog. The recent flooding in Ashville and the mountains of western North Carolina brought back all the anxiety and helplessness I felt when we had a huge flood in SW Georgia.

In 1994 Gay and Stu had just moved to Atlanta where Stu began a new job. His father had recently died in Chicago. They had lived in Albany for approximately twelve years in the Radium Springs area on a street with big trees and great neighbors. They were about ten miles from Barry and me. Their house was empty of furniture and on the market to sell.

In July, the Flood of 1994 in Albany, Georgia was a catastrophic flood caused by Tropical Storm Alberto. Thousands of homes and businesses and thousands of people were displaced. Thirty-one Georgians were killed.

The Flint River crested at 43.82 feet, 23 feet above flood stage. 

The floodwaters submerged entire sections of Albany in up to 12 feet of water. You will see in the photos I share how high the water came up in the Moring's house. 

 

The floodwaters washed out roads and closed bridges. The casino at Radium Springs was damaged so badly that it never recovered. One of the favorite places in Dougherty County was eventually purchased and demolished by the state of Georgia. This was not the first time the Flint River had flooded in Albany, but it had never reached so far and into so many communities. 

The floodwaters caused a dam breach at Lake Blackshear near Cordele. With all that water coursing down the river,  Albany was hit hard. And worst of all, the water did not move out. The flooded homes and businesses were still filled with water two weeks later.  We could not get to Gay's and Stu's house for a long time. 

The Georgia National Guard was activated and responded to the crisis in Albany. The Georgia Air National Guard was dispatched to Macon to help with water purification. The Marines from Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany helped with disaster relief efforts. Many residents lost everything they had. I am so grateful my loved ones had already moved their belongings out of the house. But soon we were able to walk inside and see the horrible damage done there. 

Our local newspaper, the Albany Herald, was filled each day with information on how to clean your house, what not to do, and what you should do.

We learned that in some houses, only the sheetrock that was wet needed to be removed. So Barry and I and the Morings spent one weekend cutting and removing wet sheetrock in every room. The kitchen appliances, of course, were damaged and must be replaced. We were overwhelmed. 

Gay cutting out wet walls and floor coverings. 

It was hot. No airconditioning. Barry working.

Gay and Stu could not be present except on weekends, so I did what I could and was overcome with joy when a volunteer group of people who helped in such disasters arrived at the house. The first group that helped us was from a Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville GA. 

Some of the first ones to help with cleaning out the house.

Glenda with volunteers and a pile of debris from the house

But the angels who came next were from a Methodist church in the Carolinas. They were all adults who moved in, set up bunk beds, and began gutting the entire house. We did not need to come back until they finished. I wanted to bring them food or do something for them, but they refused. 

 You have done enough, I was told. Now let us take care of it. 

They were experienced in such disasters and it was evident that we would never have been able to repair the house. The good news is they made that house like new and the Morings were able to put the house on the market and sell it. I have driven past the house some years later and no one would ever guess that it had been damaged by a flood.

These wonderful people who go out and help in floods, fires, or whatever calamity hits, are surely angels unaware. I think I have known other angels unaware that they were more than typical human beings. 

To learn more about the horrors of this flood, read this article in the Albany Herald.

Many people in western NC are still without homes and need help. We need to make donations to the funds that are helping there. I try to do that as often as I can.

I am eternally grateful for those who can and will jump in and do what is needed for their fellow man. 

Be safe, my friends. The bad weather will hit us again soon. 

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