This story is written by Red Cross volunteer Gerry Holmes.
Breland and Janene Scott and their four children moved in to their rented home just five weeks ago, many boxes still unpacked when the storm hit on Saturday. Breland was at work, leaving Janene alone with their three daughters and three-year-old son home watching the heavy rain fall. They were laughing about the loud thunder claps when one of the girls called her mother over to the window. “Look, mommy, she said, it’s flooding outside.” She looked outside and, “Sure enough the water was up to the top of our porch, “ she said.
She immediately called her husband at work and he rushed home. By the time he got there the water was knee deep and they gathered up their kids, sent mother ahead to the car and Breland began to carry the kids out one by one. By the time he got the last one to their mother in the car, the water was chest deep on the street and he’s 6’ 4”.
“We just had enough time to grab one bag of belongings,” Janene said. That included one very wet baby book, which now had even more emotional value. “We literally lost everything we owned, including the children’s school books (the bright and energetic daughters were being homeschooled by their mother, who had previously taught school at the high school and college level).
They headed for the Lipscomb University shelter operated by the American Red Cross and were the first family to arrive. “They said they just opened an hour before we arrived, but they were very kind and invited us to stay,” Janene said. “The Red Cross staff has been remarkable, gentling and respectful,” she said. We smelled bad, our clothes were all wet and we looked terrible. They got us some donated clean clothing and some of the university students even laundered our wet clothes and returned them to us fresh and clean. Everyone has been so thoughtful,” she said.
“All things considered, we are a lot better off at the shelter than we thought.” The Red Cross provided the family with their own space inside a racquetball court, where the kids can play, read and sleep, safe and secure. Volunteers like Laurie Drummond, a school counselor, have spent considerable time reading stories and playing with the Scott children, taking their minds off the great loss they have experienced. “They are great kids,” she said.
Names and ages of the Scott children: Jadzia, 9 (black tank top); Jasmine, 8 (Black “Yellow Ribbon” T-shirt); Jubilee, 6 (Yellow bunny shirt); and, Braedon, 3 (purple shirt).
