Recovering after the flood: the Stroupe’s story, part two

The day after the flood was bright and clear, and the Stroupes visited their home. They’d lost one dog, but a second survived, and their cat showed up for breakfast, rattled but ready. Their neighbor’s bull, who Brenda sometimes hand-fed, showed up to greet them. She started to sense they’d be ok.

Hidden Valley Circle was a sight to behold. As the Hidden Valley Circle neighborhood was at the bottom end of the valley it was easy to reach. An army of help arrived. “It was awesome,” said Brenda.

Many churches were represented, along with people from throughout the community. “Do y’all need help?” was the question. One man pumped the water out of the Stroupe’s basement, and a bucket line formed to muck out the mud. Another showed up with