Martin Luther King Day! While most people where out in the world enjoying a day off from work to celebrate Martin Luther King Day, I decided I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to work for Holiday pay, so I volunteered to work. Mom & Dad had gone on a drive to stretch their legs and get over the heavy cabin fever that had settled on them over the weekend, because Mom had her shoulder surgery and was pretty much useless all weekend and Trevor had gone to work, so I had the house to myself! Normally, this would have been an absolutely wonderful thing, but on this day, it became was my worst nightmare!
I had been working downstairs, minding my own business, helping the customers and answering their questions, when suddenly out of nowhere, there was the most awful noise I believe I have ever heard! It was loud, as if someone had a suitcase full of rocks and was banging it down each stair, but at the same time it sounded like cracking and gurgling...then nothing but the sound of water. For a split second, I thought to myself that someone had gotten into the shower and that was the noise from the shower...but it only took me a few seconds more to realize it didn't sound right and I had better check it out.
I walked up stairs and looked in the bathrooms, but there was no one there. No one useing the restrooms. No sinks running. No washer or dishwasher running. In fact, no one home but me! I ran quickly back downstairs, but there was still the water sound, so I listed and followed where it was loudest and realized it was going out front. Not thinking too clearly as a slight panic kicked in, I ran upstairs and out the front door, heading to the east spigot, thinking it had busted and there was water shooting out the side of the house, but I only made it to my south window, where right between the brick and the cement foundation, water was pouring over the cement and raining down into my window!
Now, I tried to stay calm, and ran back to the front door...but in my haste, the door had closed behind me and I was locked out! Panic spread through my body and I ran to the back door only to find that also locked! I ran to the neighboor's house, demanding their phone and noting that the parents were not home. I called Mom's Cell, then Dad's Cell, then Trevor's Cell, then Mom again and then Dad again...no answer. I dialed 911. They gave me a "Non-emergency" number to call instead. Now, I don't know about you, but water pouring into your basement, while you are locked out and can do nothing, is not a "Non-emergency" to me, but whatever! So I called the non-emergency nubmer, only to be transfered to the public works dept, who told me where to find the water shut off outside in the yard. Not thinking clearly, I assumed they meant the sprinkler box out front, so I ran back to the front yard and started digging in the snow with my bare hands until I couldn't feel my fingers anymore and realized that wouldn't work. I grabbed the snow shovel and began digging, but I couldn't find the box and I had a sinking suspision that Mom had hidden the box under a rock in the landscaping.
This wasn't working. I needed more help. Knowing that the Ball parents weren't home, I ran to the other neighbors, the Keele's, but the parents were also gone. I ran back to the house in desperation, back to the window, where water continued to pour over the cement, like a water feature you see in a really nice restaurant, and raining into the window well.
I stood in the middle of the cul-de-sac, praying my heart out that the Lord would help me, because I was all alone and there was nothing I could do. I imagined the drywall in my ceiling crumpling and drenched, falling on my bed as all my things were being drowned and all the storage for everyone in the basement was being ruined. I was completely alone.
Only moments had passed by, but I was crying, not knowing what to do, when Lanny Knighting, our dear friend and neighbor, came driving down the cul-de-sac. Not thinking I started running, like a mad woman, straight for his approaching car. Somehow I conveyed what was happening and that I was trying to get to the water shut off, but it was buried in the frozen front yard. He quickly followed me to the house and began to try helping me look for the water shut off, but we both quickly realized it was a fruitless search. I took him over to the window where the water was continuously pouring and it had the same panic-striking effect it had on me. We both rushed to the front door, where miraculously...it was still locked. He asked if there were any unlocked or open windows? What about the back door? Can we open the garage door? All were met with locked and that door isn't real anymore.
I know there was more to our conversation, but my mind went blank and clear as day I heard in my head, "Break down the door". Now you may laugh, but I don't care, because at that moment, I didn't question the voice I just did it. I took one step back, dropped my shoulder and plowed through the front door. I remeber watching part of the door frame that had busted as it fell next to me in slow motion until it, and I, hit the floor. I picked myself back up as quickly as possible and ran throught the kitchen to the stairs, where my worst fears were verified and my blood ran positively cold. The landing at the bottom of the stairs was covered in water.
I half ran, half stubled down the stairs, all the while swearing up a storm that would shame a sailor and crying my guts out. Thankfully Lanny was close behind me. We both looked for the water shut off, splashing around the basement. He quickly pointed it out, but I told him that wasn't for the water, that was for the gas line (a lie that stems from a completely different story). I looked at the ceiling and the rafters, trying to follow the sewer pipes, thinking the water shut off was there somewhere, but Lanny knew that was the water shut off and he turned it off, just for good measure since I was so sure it was the gas.
As soon as he turned the handle, the water noise stopped and I collapsed on his shoulder where I cried for what seemed like days! Somehow, in the next twenty minutes, we managed to get all kinds of neighboors with shop-vacs over to the house, including Uncle Ron and Aunt Kim, who began helping us clean up. I left Mom messages, called the insurance agent and helped get things cleaned up. By the time Mom and Dad got home, the water had been cleaned up and we were pulling my things out of my room.
I know how much the Lord love me and my family, because he really helped me in my time of need! He gave me friends to help answer the questions I couldn't and help me when my two hands just weren't enough! All in all the water was only on for 30-45 minutes. It didn't reach all of the basement thankfully and of the areas that did get water, 9/10 of it was on something on legs, so there was not much damage. My laptop died because it was on my floor at the time and there was one box we thing may have a little damage as well. The drywall on the South side of my room was stripped off and also a strip of drywall in the ceiling was removed to reroute the water pipe, so that it wouldn't freeze in the future. The carpet pad had to be replaced and a couple matresses were a little wet, but they dried.
We were so blessed that day! I was so blessed that day! We could have lost a lot, but the damage was minimal and there were many hands to help us!
We named my room the Blue Lagoon, because up to this point, the wall color was blue and it just seemed to fit since that was where most of the damage was located. I will post pictures of the drywall that was removed and the insulation dripping water.
The room is all fixed now and a nice shade of creamy tan. All ready to move back in. I will post pics of it done too!
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