On Wednesday Night a flash flood disaster struck my family’s basement apartment as my veteran father James Cook Sr. fought through 6 feet of water to keep my disabled brother James Cook Jr. who is paralyzed from the waist down from drowning while holding his beloved dog Lucy and trying to stay alive. My husband and I swam through 6 feet of water to try to save my family but the tide was too strong and pushed us to the back of the basement. We managed to swim back and use a table that was floating to try and ram the door but we couldn’t get to them. I could hear them screaming struggling to stay above water. We swam out and tried to break my brothers window but couldn’t. Civilians and off duty service workers were trying so hard to help! My heart was breaking watching my family drown until I heard the sirens and saw the brave fire fighters from station 5 struggling to walk through the river that formed in front of the building from the flooding. Station 5 was able to break the window and pull my family out before drowning. Without Bayonne Fire Department Station 5 my family would be dead. I am so thankful from the bottom of my heart for the courageous fire fighters, off duty service workers, BPD and civilians for sacrificing their safety to rescue my family.
After the water receded the next day, I walked back into the basement apartment and fell apart looking at a lifetime of memories destroyed by one single flood.
My family has absolutely nothing. My brother’s motorized wheelchair, hospital bed, medications and medical supplies were ruined. Everything that they have accumulated in this apartment for 25 years was destroyed in a matter of minutes. My dad has been the sole caretaker of my brother who is not only paralyzed but also faces many other health issues. While we are eternally grateful that they have made it out alive, we are asking for your help to rebuild their lives. They will need everything from clothes to furniture to medical supplies (not covered by insurance) to medical equipment replaced. We understand many other people may be struggling but any amount of donations would be greatly appreciated.
