WAUWATOSA — When Cara Williamson hears heavy rain, the anxiety comes back.
A recent storm brought her right back to the night she spent hours stranded on the roof of her car as floodwater rushed around her.
“Last night there were storms in Wauwatosa, and you get that anxiety. Oh my God, I hope my parents don’t need me to move another car,” Williamson said.
It’s been one year since historic flooding swept through southeastern Wisconsin, leaving Williamson stranded on top of her car near Concordia Avenue and Menomonee River Parkway for nearly five hours.
The ordeal began around 2:30 a.m. Aug. 10, 2025, when Williamson's mother asked her to move the car to higher ground. Instead, floodwater swept the vehicle off the road.
WATCH: She yelled for help from her car roof. One year later, she remembers the rescue
Williamson eventually climbed out through the vehicle's roof.
“In a way it feels like it almost didn’t happen because it’s so surreal, right? Who goes white water rafting on the roof of your car down the Menomonee River Parkway?” Williamson said.
TMJ4 crews were in the area documenting the flooding when they heard Williamson calling for help.
TMJ4 reporter Mikenzie Hammel called 911.
“We have a woman who is trapped on top of her car,” Hammel told the dispatcher.
Battalion Chief Jeremy Blair was working that night with the Wauwatosa Fire Department. Williamson's rescue was one of dozens of emergencies crews handled as the flooding intensified.
“I remember crews were hearing a call for help or a scream for help,” Blair said.
“We knew we had rain coming, not a surprise, but what was a surprise was how much rain came down and how fast it came down,” he said.
As calls continued to pile up, Blair said crews had to find ways to prioritize.
“When they come in all at once, we have to find a way to triage,” he said.
To reach Williamson, firefighters extended a tower ladder about 95 feet across the floodwater.
“Here they come! Move the car, move the car, move the car!” Hammel can be heard saying.
Moments later, Williamson was safe.
For Blair, the night also reinforced the need to adapt quickly and work across agencies.
“We need to do things on our own, think outside the box, adapt, and overcome,” Blair said.
“When we can communicate with elected leaders, our DPW, our police and other resources, things get done,” Blair said.
He also praised the firefighters who worked through the night.
“Can’t speak enough to the crews that were on that night. They worked tirelessly to make sure every call was answered,” Blair said.
A year later, Williamson said the experience still weighs on her. Her parents still cannot use their basement, and she said her family is more cautious when storms are in the forecast.
“Communities like Tosa really stepped up, and then chapters like the NARI chapter in Milwaukee have been a great resource for all things remodeling," Williamson said.
“I think everybody’s a little bit more cynical when it starts to rain, and when the weather says there’s a chance of storms. I plan on the storms,” she added.
And when Williamson looks back at the night she was stranded in her car, she said she’s grateful for how quickly help arrived.
“It had been so quick, could’ve been so much worse,” Williamson said.
