Flood Victim Thankful For Family

Storm victims in Coweta are cleaning up after flash flooding swept water through several houses.  News On 6 anchor Craig Day reports the hardest hit home belongs to a longtime Coweta resident who is now working to save 45 years of memories. 

"I was watching the creek.  We'd seen it come up before nearly to the top, but it would always go down," said Myrtle Sullivan.

Family means everything to Myrtle Sullivan.  Surrounded by her sons and daughters and other loved ones, she's trying to save memories from family Bibles, to birth certificates.

There are 45 years worth of priceless family treasures in her home, all threatened by a flash flood.

"I seen a foot of water in my living room and I said oh my goodness," said Myrtle Sullivan.

Sullivan says when the water started rising, she was more concerned for her children because, even at 84, a mother still worries.

"I was talking to the kids and my daughter said, ‘mom, get out of there.  Get out of there, now.'  I told her.  I said, it's coming in through the front door."

Within a half hour, the water was chest deep inside her home.  Her sons and daughters scrambled to get to her.

Because of flooded roads, it took son, Mark, 20 minutes to go five blocks from his home to hers.

"I just said I got to do what I've got to do.  I've got to get my mother out of that house," said Mark Sullivan.

"I stayed pretty calm until that door wouldn't let me out.  And then I kind of was about ready to panic, until I seen him swimming and he said, ‘Mom I'm coming,'" said Myrtle Sullivan.

Just to give you an idea of how high the water got.  There are some days when the creek doesn't have any water at all.  Mrs. Sullivan watched as the water got up to a pipe, that's about five to six feet deep.  The water kept rising.  By the time it got up to the top of the embankment, it was eight to ten feet deep.  The water didn't stop there.  It kept going through her yard and ended up inside her home.

With the help of Mark, Myrtle Sullivan was able to wade to safety.

"I thank the Lord.  That Mom is OK and that everybody here has come through OK," said Mark Sullivan.

For now, the family is sorting through and drying out seven generations of pictures.  Sullivan says though the water was deep, God is still good.

Despite the damage, the family is thankful for lives saved and takes comfort in knowing, though a lot is lost, they have each other.

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