WEST ALLIS, Wis. – Families and residents in southeast Wisconsin are recovering from the impact of historic floods that drenched homes and displaced belongings.
In West Allis, many are sifting through mud and memories, searching for what the flood didn’t take. For Sean Ryan, that means looking for photographs—ones that remind him of times past.
“My whole life is pretty much in this,” said Sean Ryan, as he motioned toward piles of waterlogged belongings.
Those piles, once possessions, are what he has to comb through after the floods hit his home.
“Both of my children’s childhood gone—all my pictures that I had of them young. My dead brother’s, the rest of his life gone,” said Sean.
Both Ryan and his daughter, Aspyn Waterhouse, say they watched their basement transform into a pool overnight.
“I had to hear it all night, I was restless, the water just flowing in and everything crashing about,” Aspyn said.
Days later, as the water eventually drained, so did some of their hope, but memories managed to resurface. Sean found ultrasound pictures of Aspyn before she was born.
Sean also found his late brother's favorite wrestling belt.
“I want to make sure at least part of my brother stays with us,” Sean said.
Holding tight to what lasts, and letting go of what’s lost, Sean is uncovering the memories that stay afloat. As for Aspyn, she’s still kicking, just like her baby picture.
Watch: West Allis family salvages memories after historic flooding
Sean and his family are not the only ones dealing with the cost of cleanup, and many community members and neighbors are stepping in to help.
Beth Collins is the owner of Look For Less, and she gets supplies that were either on clearance or out of season at big-box stores and sells them for 40% to 50% off. She says by Wednesday, she’s bringing in items like fans, wet vacuums, air purifiers, and dehumidifiers to help those in need.
“I hope my customers see that I really care about them, and I care about their well-being, and I also care about saving them money,” said Beth Collins.
Multiple resources are available for those impacted by the floods, including:
- Look For Less is selling supplies like fans and dehumidifiers for 40% to 50% off this week.
- Lowe’s is offering free cleanup supplies to the first 190 customers starting Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. at its stores in Wauwatosa and Franklin.
- U-Haul is offering 30 days of free self-storage across metro Milwaukee.
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