This week, my journey led me to Knott County, Kentucky, where I spent time with the dedicated team at the center in Carrie. Amidst the warm hospitality of homeowners, lively firework displays, friendly dogs, and the delightful taste of Brown Butter Cookies from Yoder’s, a profound awareness lingered – the memory of the devastating flood that swept through the region nearly a year prior. It was a visit that subtly shifted my perspective, particularly on the simple image of a Porch Rocker, a symbol of peace, in a landscape marked by recent turmoil.
From Gurgling Creeks to Whispers of Disaster
Creeks have always held a special allure for me. Childhood adventures were often defined by hushed expeditions to the creek behind a friend’s house, imagining grand missions amidst the playful rush of water. Later, in college, Buffalo Creek became my sanctuary. Its gentle trickles offered a calming escape from academic pressures. Troublesome Creek, near the center in Carrie, echoed this calming presence, its waters typically offering a familiar peace. In Knott County, creeks are omnipresent, an integral part of the landscape, their sounds usually a comforting backdrop to life. The gentle rocking motion of a porch rocker seems to harmonize perfectly with such a tranquil soundscape.
However, this week, the familiar gurgle and trickle of these creeks evoked a different response. The anticipated calm was now intertwined with a stark reminder of nature’s destructive power. I found myself pausing, listening more intently, imagining the tranquil creeks transforming into raging torrents, overflowing their banks and engulfing homes. The image of someone peacefully enjoying a porch rocker was replaced by the terrifying reality of floodwaters reaching doorsteps.
The Kentucky floods of last July, initially a distant news story, became deeply personal as I listened to the accounts of those who lived through it. Hearing their experiences firsthand fundamentally changed how I perceived the unassuming creeks around me.
The “Guggle” Beneath the Floorboards: A Porch View Shattered
One homeowner recounted a chilling experience. Her daughter’s flood warning initially seemed routine. From her porch, she observed the familiar trickle of water entering the holler, something she’d witnessed before. Dismissing any serious threat, she returned to bed, perhaps envisioning a peaceful morning from her porch rocker after the light rain. But the water’s relentless rise soon shattered that illusion. A “guggle” sound from beneath the floor jolted her awake. The water, no longer a gentle creek, was now invading her home, gurgling up through the floor vents, a terrifying sound replacing the imagined gentle creaks of a porch rocker.
Her priorities instantly shifted. Material possessions became irrelevant; her dog and a sleeping neighbor were all that mattered. She ensured her dog’s safety and alerted her neighbor. Together, with others from the holler, they sought refuge on higher ground. Every neighbor she mentioned had pets, and miraculously, all – people and animals – escaped the chest-high floodwaters that inundated their homes. The peaceful image of pets napping on a porch rocker was replaced by the reality of desperate escapes and survival.
Retirement Interrupted: From Porch Dreams to Flood Realities
I met Chris and Lori, homeowners whose story further illuminated the flood’s impact. They had moved to Knott County to care for Lori’s mother, drawn to the tranquility and natural beauty of the region – the very qualities that might attract someone to spend peaceful afternoons on a porch rocker. Lori’s mother, seeking respite from the “hustle and bustle” of Florida, had returned to her roots in Knott County, seeking peace and nature.
Their retirement dreams, perhaps including quiet evenings on their porch rocker, were violently interrupted on the night of July 27th. A 1 AM knock on the door shattered the night’s calm. Their neighbor’s urgent warning – “water is coming down the road” – propelled them into action. Stepping onto their porch, they were confronted with ankle-deep water, a chilling prelude to the chaos that would unfold.
Huddling for Safety: The Porch View Vanishes
Escape seemed possible initially. Their car was parked out front, but the rapidly rising water forced a terrifying realization: escape might be impossible, and venturing further down the road into unknown flood conditions could be even more dangerous. Their decision was abruptly made for them as their car, with Chris’s cherished disc golf collection inside, was swept away by the relentless current. The tranquil porch view was now a scene of surging water and loss.
As the water reached chest level, they huddled together for safety – Chris, Lori, their daughter, and their three dogs, retreating to a bedroom. The mattress became their island, and Chris ingeniously used a door as a makeshift raft for the dogs. Each surge of water was marked on the wall, a grim testament to the rising danger. From their window, the scene outside was surreal: cars from the neighboring mechanic’s shop were submerged, some crashing against their front door, blocking their escape route. Fear escalated when a massive propane tank, ripped from the ground, became a whistling, dangerous presence in their backyard before being swept away. The comforting image of a porch rocker seemed a distant, almost mocking memory in the face of such peril.
“I’ll tell you what,” Chris said, “I’ll never underestimate the power of water again.”
After a terrifying night, the water finally receded. Family members arrived to help, and they escaped through the bedroom window, leaving behind a home ravaged by the flood. “It ended up working out that we couldn’t leave,” Lori reflected, finding a sense of purpose in their forced endurance. “It must’ve been what we were supposed to do.”
Rebuilding Beyond the Rocker: Mucking Mud and Restoring Hope
In the aftermath, life became about survival and rebuilding. A camper became their temporary home on their property as they began the arduous task of mucking mud from their house. “There was so much mud,” Lori recalled, “Even now we sometimes find it in a nook or cranny every once in a while.” The dream of relaxing on their porch rocker was replaced by the grueling reality of physical labor.
Slowly, with the help of volunteers, like those from ASP who were hanging drywall during my visit, they are piecing their home back together, brick by brick, drywall by drywall. Their hope is to return to the house that Lori’s mother had lovingly made a home. The simple joys of family gatherings, especially during the holidays, and the arrival of a new grandchild fuel their determination. Perhaps one day soon, a porch rocker will once again grace their porch, a symbol of resilience and the restored peace of home.
Chris and Lori’s story, and countless others in Knott County, underscored the sheer devastation of the floods. Homes were not just damaged; they were “turned inside out.” Rebuilding is not just about physical structures; it’s about restoring lives and communities.
Their experience also highlighted the essential elements of recovery: immediate help from caring neighbors, quick thinking in crisis, community rescues, and the crucial support of donation centers and emergency housing. These are the immediate life rafts in a disaster. But beyond immediate survival, the long, demanding work of rebuilding begins – the mucking, cleaning, repairing, and restoring.
The region faces a long road to full recovery. Disasters like this demand sustained, long-term attention, not just temporary fixes. While agencies like FEMA provide essential emergency response, their presence is finite. Many are left in precarious situations, needing permanent housing solutions and the resources to fully repair their homes and lives. The immediate need to “stay afloat” during a flood is undeniable, but the enduring need for “hanging drywall” – for long-term rebuilding and recovery – when the waters subside is equally critical. And as these communities rebuild, the simple image of a porch rocker takes on a deeper meaning – a symbol of hope, resilience, and the enduring human desire for peace and home, even in the face of devastating loss.
