|
Recovering from the flood |
|
|
Monday, 04 January 2010 |
 MOLLY M. FLEMING / Courier ABOVE: Melanie Ernest stands on her porch days after flooding devestated her home. The flood on Christmas Eve was the second the house had withstood in the past two years. BELOW: Water subsides from the ‘baby room’ in the home.
In April 2008, the Ernest family had their house flooded after torrential rains. Melanie said she sat and watched as a wall of water from the nearby creek bellowed toward their home on Mt. Olive Road. During that flood, they lost a lot but were able to restore the damaged areas of their home with money they received from FEMA.
But, on Christmas Eve, the rising creek water was all too familiar to the Ernestes, who were awoken by their neighbor, Rick Hatton at 5:30 a.m., telling them to evacuate. Hatton also had damage at his trailer where his farm workers live. Hatton told Melanie that the water came into the trailer and swirled everything around.
“I call him my Rescue Rick because he’s the one that got us out the first time,” Melanie said.
When Hatton came to rescue the Ernestes, emergency workers met the couple outside. Charles started walking towards the EMT and was immediately paralyzed with hypothermia from the rising cold water. Their rottweiler, Hermione, rescued Charles and drug him to the emergency truck. Emergency workers tried to meet Charles in his walk but also starting cramping with hypothermia. Melanie went to the emergency workers, wearing only shorts and a hooded sweat shirt, and took them to the truck as she boarded.
When the couple returned to their home, they found that their carpet, furniture and their Christmas presents were destroyed by the five inches of water that came into their home. But their most devastating loss was a dear family member -- their cat.
“That cat showed up before the last flood and then this time, the flood just took him away. I was there watch him give his last breath,” Melanie said as tears fell down her face.
No one in the family received gifts from Melanie and Charles, who did not receive gifts from other either.
“But I did get the best present, we’re alive,” she said.
Since Christmas Eve, the Ernestes received helped from Tom and Erma Clifton of Fleming Electric, who helped rip up the soggy carpet and even brought furniture to the Ernestes’ home.
Having seen two floods destroy their valuable, Melanie has one solution to the problem.
“I just need four railroad jacks, three I-beams and a ton of bricks. We’re either going to raise it up or move it out,” she said.
The Ernestes are living in the house still, despite the cold and lack of carpet.
“We’ve got all we need... food in our bellies, roof over our head, clothes on our back and all the love we can handle,” she said.
Some of that love is coming from their niece, Krystal Keene, who is getting donations from local businesses to help her aunt and uncle. Creative Carpets of Benton is donating carpet to the family and Sherwin Williams is donating paint.
More love for the couple is coming from Dr. Adam Cobb of Bryant, who has offered to grandfather Melanie into the dental hygienist program, starting Monday. Before she starts, she is working at the house to make sure everything is as clean and neat as possible, given the circumstances.
“I have to keep it somewhat picked-up for (Charles). He’s susceptible to illness because of his low immunity,” Melanie said. Charles low-immunity is caused from the five strokes he suffered following the April flood.
Since Christmas Eve, Melanie and Charles have been putting “blood, sweat and tears” into their home, she said, as they try to piece back their lives. She doesn’t plan for this to stop anytime soon.
“Everything will work out somewhere and someway,” she says with a tearful smile.
To help the Earnestes, contact Keene at 557-5157 or Melanie at 860-8121.
|
Razorbacks
