Obion County flood victims returning home to an icy landscape and assessing the damage

OBION COUNTY, Tn., (KBSI) – Obion County flood victims returned home to an icy landscape, after a winter storm Tuesday night.

Layers of ice formed over the top of water overflowing from the streets of Rives and overtaking residents’ yards.

Despite the ice, the water is low enough for residents to return home. Now they’re assessing the damage.

Wednesday afternoon, Kenneth Brewer came to check on his parents’ home. First on his list of repairs is the flooring.

“I gotta rip all this stuff up — start drying it out,” he said.

The Brewers’ cats managed to survive the rising waters and gathered on the front porch where Kenneth fed them.

“The cats are pretty resilient because they’re outside cats,” he said. “They’re tough.”

With the power still out, Brewer went inside and got the fireplace going — warming it up as he prepared to get to work on repairs.

He said when the water started rising over the weekend he rushed to his parents’ home — moving their things up higher, on table tops and counters. He used canned foods to raise the furniture off the ground.

Brewer said emergency responders did a great job helping them out.

“Obion County Sheriff’s Department helped us out — all the rescue people and everything,” he said, “they did everything they could do, but you can’t stop the water.”

Brewer said it’ll be at least a few weeks before his 89 year-old parents, James and Eula May Brewer can move back in.

For now, they are staying at their friend Wanda Kuk’s home in Union City.

Kuk sat outside in Brewer’s vehicle. She said she tagged along so James and Eula could have some time to themselves at her home.

“I just thought I would take a ride with him to give them some space,” she said, “because they’re always in their own home alone with their dog, and I just wanted them to feel like it was theirs.”

Kuk said she met the Brewers three years ago and now she refers to them as her adopted parents.

“They’re beautiful people. I’m glad to have them. I’m glad I’m able to house them. They could live the rest of their lives with me if they wanted to. But, you know, everyone wants to be in their own home,” she said.

FOX23 spoke to other residents off-camera, as well. They were just returning home, seeing it for the first time since the flood.

They said it’s a lot to process. Now they’re figuring out how to move forward.