MILWAUKEE — A north side Milwaukee neighborhood is still reeling days after heavy rains pounded the area, leaving homes damaged and families displaced.
Along 61st and Lawn Avenue, the curb has become a junkyard for lives disrupted. Mattresses, baby toys, appliances, and cars line the streets – memories soaked and dragged to the curb as neighbors plead for help.
Every home in the area was impacted when Lincoln Creek, which snakes through the neighborhood, overflowed during Sunday's downpour. Water flooded basements, destroyed homes, and in some cases, families lost everything.
"We walk in the door and it's just water everywhere," Carla Xiong said. "Everything was flooded to the top of our stairs — so bad."
The Xiong family, who are Hmong, lost nearly everything but managed to save their traditional clothes, rich in color and culture.
"Some are from the 1990s, some are from new generations. Whatever we lost, we lost, but we're able to keep our memories still, so that's important, and I'm glad we were able to save it," Xiong said.
Others weren't so optimistic. A veteran, too distraught to go on camera, shared his heartbreak over losing his wife just last month. Now, floodwaters have destroyed his home.
"This has never happened. Never ever happened," said Melissa Bennett, a single mother whose basement was flooded to the ceiling.
Watch: Milwaukee north side neighborhood struggles to recover after devastating flood
"It was just terrible when I saw cars were submerged in the street. It was just horrible," Bennett said.
With her two grandkids by her side, Bennett is now asking for help to haul away what's been ruined.
"Just help carry the big stuff out, the big things, tables, mattresses, washers, dryers," Bennett said.
The people of 61st Street aren't just cleaning up – they're surviving. And in the middle of all this heartbreak, they're holding on to each other and hoping for help that still hasn't fully arrived.\
"Just going through it day by day," Xiong said.
Bennett's situation is particularly difficult. "My car is totaled, not just the house; my car got flooded."
Some families have set up GoFundMe campaigns to help them rebuild. Others are relying on neighbors and their faith to make it through.
PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING THESE MILWAUKEE FAMILIES IN NEED:
XIONG FAMILY GO FUND ME - https://shorturl.at/fUh2k
BENNETT FAMILY GO FUN ME - https://gofund.me/ae8b48c8
When asked how her family plans to move forward, Bennett replied, "I don't know, at this point, I don't know."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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