Alex: THANK YOU ALL so much for all the work you have done on the Web Site.

My father's home is at 2375 Sierra Ct. His name was Bryson Ahern. My parents bought that house in 1950 & I still remember being evacuated & carried to the back of a dumptruck during the flood of '55. As I recall the Redcross evacuated us either to the gym of Jordan Junior Hi or Paly Hi. My Dad stayed behind to mop the water out of our house. He was building a cabin cruiser in our backyard at the time so he had to make certain it was docked properly lest it float away.

I have wonderful memories of living & playing on that little court, walking across 101 when it was just two lanes & playing in the mounds of dirt they hauled in to begin the freeway construction. I took swimming lessons at Rinconada, went to Garland Elementary School and played with Karen Dulet and Diane and Carol Lose whose families also lived on Sierra Court. Mrs. Patchen was a "new" neighbor in those days. It was a sweet little street to play in and a special little neighborhood that felt like my whole world as a little girl. We moved when I began 4th grade but my parents kept the home as a rental and moved back into it about 14 or 15 years ago. It was a great little neighborhood for an elderly couple too, as there was so much life surrounding them, filled with laughter of little children, skateboarding teenagers and busy commuters trying to squeeze in moments to jog and bike ride. The life and energy was good for them, so much better than a retirement community.

I now live about 6 hours north on Hiway 101 in Humboldt Co. (Arcata, CA to be specific). Blessedly my Dad passed away only 2 weeks before the flood occurred. I have no idea what we would've done if he had lived to see the devastation, nor can I imagine how we could've evacuated him as he was very ill with lung cancer & bedridden. Altho' knowing my father's dear neighbor and fishing buddy, Dennis McKinsey, "where there's a will there's a way," and he would've known what to do (Dennis being the only man I know more ornery than my Pop).

I and my daughter, Johanna, stayed with my father for two weeks this past Christmas. My daughter continued her stay with him for about another 2 1/2 weeks into January 1998 before he passed away. Both Johanna & I spent time taking walks through the peaceful streets of your neighborhood when we needed R&R from the pangs of caregiving. My daughter was intending to live in my father's home for a few months after his death, while we were preparing to put it on the market. She was visiting at my home in Humboldt Co. when we got a call the morning of the flood evacuation. Even though no one was home at my Dad's house, thoughtful neighbors took time to call us. My daughter lost some of her possessions; but the saddest moment for her was when she saw the devastation for the first time, walked across his front lawn and found his reading glasses buried in the mud along with the little brass bell he used to ring when he needed her help. She said she truly began grieving the loss of her Grandpa at that point, when she saw remnants of her relationship with him strewn across the muddy front lawn for all to see. She said his life seemed to be so trashed at that point.

I feel so much more fortunate compared to so many families on that little street. I had already "inherited" a lot of the family treasures, photo albums, furnishings. So our loss was not nearly as great as people who call Sierra Court home. My heart goes out to everyone. Please keep me on your mailing list. My brother & I own the home now & are gradually doing repairs. So we will be "neighbors" for a little while longer. Good luck in your efforts to make changes to the drainage problems and emergency systems. If I can write or sign anything, please know I'm happy to do so.

Sincerely, Diane Anderson

(Photo by Kristine & Raymond Hebert)