July 16, 2014
Today was amazing. I can’t even begin to tell you the
journey I have had this long time since I have written in here. It has taken me
two incredibly humbling experiences to get me to finally realize that I am not
grateful enough for my miracles.
So after ballet class today, I was off to my lacrosse
banquet to bask in the glory of a championship. As I left however, I realized
that to say it was pouring buckets of rain was a gross understatement. It was
literally a mix of both heavy rain and hail the size of marbles. I was
astounded at the scene. My banquet was cancelled, our team evacuated, when it
got worse. I headed home to find that my kitchen had been flooded. Not too bad
but it used up all our towels and then some.
I was so excited about the rain that I decided to suit up
and go for an adventure outside. Little did I know the chaos that was going on
just down the hill. I walked down to an apartment complex only to find cars
buried thigh deep in water. Their engines were completely drowned and cars were
ruined. That is to say nothing of the damage done to the apartments themselves.
That is where the story really gets good.
Realizing the destruction and serious possibility of danger,
my thoughts of adventure were gone. I immediately headed to my friend Mimi’s
place to see if she was okay. On the way there however, there were tons people
trying to empty their apartments with buckets, trashcans, you name it. I wanted
to join in and help but to my surprise, I was required for something else.
There was a girl trapped in her room on the basement floor. She couldn’t get
out. I swear it was something out of a scene from Titanic. The window would
only open a certain amount, so I offered to go in and get her out.
So I squeezed through the window and got her. It was at this
moment I was thankful for all the years of swim team, water polo and all the
push-ups I do everyday in dance class. It took all of my weight and hers to get
that door, and the others, open. The current was really hard still and the
doors were quite jammed. It was an adrenaline rush. I loved it.
After much tribulation, we emerged. I made sure she was
okay, then headed to Mimi yet again. Seeing she was okay and her apartment
fine, I looked for anyone or anything that needed manpower. Didn’t have to go
far for that. I love Mormons. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It had to
have been a hundred or so people forming a huge assembly line passing buckets,
trash cans, anything they could find, filled with water and dumping it out. The
amazing part not only was that all these people were so quick to help, it was
the happiness they had. They were not somber even though they had lost so much.
It was inspiring really.
After helping out with that and many other de-flooding, I
was given time to reflect on the many miracles I witnessed today. I am so
blessed. We are all so blessed. I feel so sorry for all those people who lost
so much today. But I am so grateful no one lost a life. What a miracle!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1IGLzR29GM&feature=youtu.be
http://www.buzzfeed.com/davarav/the-12-things-you-saw-at-the-byui-flood-last-night-ulbz
