Special Edition: Wrightwood Flash Flood
After
You have undoubtedly heard of Wrightwood – but probably not for a good reason. The recent West Coast atmospheric river roared through our town on Christmas Eve, dumping over 10 inches of rain in 24 hours. Some important roads were washed out, and an estimated 25 to 50 houses were completely destroyed. Just on our street, three homes suffered significant interior mud and water damage.
The September 2024 wildfire that came within 50 feet of our house burnt most of the ground foliage on the mountain immediately behind us. When we heard of the coming storm, we were concerned about possible mud flow. As it turned out, that part of the mountain was fine, but the section further up the road was not. At the peak of the storm, it sent water and mud gushing through our back yard so forcefully that our concrete stairway completely disappeared under a river of water and mud.
Several neighbors learned of our plight and came to our rescue, bringing shovels and many sandbags. Water threatened to lap over the concrete foundation of the house into the lower level, but thanks to our friends we had only minor seepage. When it was all over, our backyard was caked with about three feet of mud, pushing up against the garage and completely burying our HVAC unit locked next to the garage.
Just as the rain was tapering off, we lost electricity. And then early Christmas morning, the household water went out. That was the last straw. The storm had forced us to delay our plans to spend Christmas Day with our daughter Stephanie’s family in Old Town Orange so we could monitor the situation. But with no power, no heat and no water, we decided to leave anyway.
When we returned a few days later, a team from our church, our son Andy, and some close friends showed up with a mini-backhoe, a standup mini-skid loader, wheelbarrows, and shovels and spent the whole day digging out the backyard. I don’t know what we would have done without them!
Years ago, I remember reading a magazine article written by a Christian college girl whose family’s house had burned to the ground a few years earlier. Some well-meaning friends, when they learned of their calamity, drove by their burned ruin and told them, “If you need help, just let us know.”
“Just let them know if we need help!?” the girl wrote. “Just let them know!? Of course we needed help! We had no house, no clothes, no furniture, and essentially nothing.” In the midst of the aftermath of the house fire, the last thing they needed was having to initiate a call for help.
Some other people, she noted, jumped right in, bringing food, clothing and other necessities and helped them pick up the pieces by assisting them in charting a path forward. They exhibited true, practical compassion. Of course, you can't solve everyone's problems, but you can make a difference in some people's lives.
Over the years, I have often thought about that article, and I try to do what those truly helpful people did. My instinct is to “run into the burning building” and embrace people going through serious personal, relational, family, employment, medical, or other problems.
Our friends who showed up certainly demonstrated much-appreciated engagement. So we’re thankful that we suffered no catastrophic damage, but beyond that, we’re very thankful for the practical outpouring of love from some dear friends.
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Have you ever suffered a tragic situation and had friends jump to your rescue? If so, what impact did that have on your attitude toward helping others in need?
How can you balance stepping up to help others in need with your other legitimate priorities? (This is not intended to be a guilt-inducing question.)
“I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me. . . . Truly a tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
Matthew 25:35-36, 40 – CSB
