Following heavy rainfall and the catastrophic Edenville and Sanford dam failures on May 19 and 20, approximately 10,000 residents were evacuated as the floodwaters approached. By the time the Tittabawasee River crested at 35 feet— thankfully one yard lower than predicted— the county was a disaster zone. Sanford had been decimated. Wixom Lake, formed by the Edenville dam, was entirely drained. Downtown Midland and many neighborhoods were flooded. Roads were washed out. Freeland and Saginaw residents suffered flooding and water damage as well.
And yet, out of these troubled waters comes so many inspiring stories. These are just a few of the thousands of stories of loss, of community, of service and of grace.
“We’ve seen the Holy Spirit working through these moments of grace and grief.”
Patricia Benner, Our Lady of Grace Parish, Sanford
Patricia Benner of Sanford has a lifetime of memories along Sanford Lake.
The property where she and her husband, Chris, built their home in 2006 had been in her family since before she was born. The family spent their summers at a cottage there during her childhood.
Now, the lake they once played in has drained away.
“Our entire neighborhood is devastated. There were people who had greater loss than we did,” Patricia said. “We know of at least three homes that are going to be demolished.”
Though the Benners are grateful that they will be able to save their home, nine feet of water filled their crawl space and five feet flooded their first floor, causing an estimated $70,000 worth damage that insurance will not cover. The ground floor has been gutted and all appliances will need replaced. The Benners hoped to be able to restore electricity soon and move into the second floor of their home while repairs were completed.
In the midst of this disaster, friends and strangers alike showed up to help.
“We’ve had meals delivered from members of our parish. We have cleanup help from Knights of Columbus,” she said. “Certainly beyond that, there have been so many moments of grace. I mentioned how devastated our neighborhood has been, and the grief is just pervasive. It’s on everyone’s face. It’s in every conversation. But there have been so many moments of grace that we are able to recognize.”
Some of these moments come from strangers passing out food or community volunteers offering assistance. One friend coordinated much of the initial cleaning effort, as the Benners were in shock. Another friend and her husband, who are contractors, visited unexpectedly to advise them.
“God is looking out for us through others,” she said. “We’ve had an incredible amount of cleanup.”
In about two days, the damaged areas were gutted thanks to approximately 15 volunteers. When they needed something, Patricia said, it seemed to just show up. Within two weeks, they were hanging drywall.
“It definitely has brought our neighborhood together in a different way. People just really support each other,” she said. “We’ve just seen God’s hand in all of it.”
Another moment was when they went to a nearby wooded lot where many of the neighborhood’s outdoor possessions had washed.
“The first thing my husband found out there was our statue of Mary. So he brought it back, and we put it where it belongs,” she said. “We’ve just seen the Holy Spirit working through these moments of grace and the grief. We just know people are praying for us and holding us up with their prayers.”
"Complete strangers were working right next to each other." Laura Scheibert, Our Lady of Grace Parish, Jerome Township
Laura Scheibert describes herself and husband Emery as “one of the blessed few” in her Sanford Lake neighborhood whose house was on higher ground, avoiding flood damage. Though they evacuated, they discovered in a drone video posted on Facebook that their house was safe, though they lost their boat, docks and freezer.
Many of their neighbors, sadly, were not so lucky.
“The wall of water came in one side of their house and moved their belongings through the other side,” Laura said. “[It’s] absolute devastation.”
As people were able to return to their homes, the cleanup efforts began. As the Scheiberts’ home was not damaged, they chose to use their time and talents helping their less fortunate neighbors.
“Every day I would make lunches and pack them up and go to the sites that are most damaged to serve lunches and drinks to volunteers. You just do what you can do,” Laura said of the two weeks following the flood. “My husband has a couple trailers and he just drives around, fills up the trailer and takes it to the dump. When he’s not at work, he goes around morning and night.”
One uniquely amazing aspect of the volunteer work, Laura said, is that community members coordinated relief efforts for each other at first. People heard that Emery is hauling debris, and they sent Facebook messages requesting a pickup. Laura offered lunch to a neighborhood that had recently been fed by another volunteer, and the workers will suggest another neighborhood that still needed meals.
“People just kind of figure out who’s helping and pass along the word,” she said.
She was also struck by just how many volunteers, including from out of state, showed up to help. They even met a group from Louisiana who had helped with the massive cleanup efforts following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and had come to lend a hand.
“Complete strangers were working right next to each other,” she said. “I think sometimes tragedy brings out the best in people.”
"I think sometimes tragedy brings out the best in people." — Laura Scheibert
In the midst of it all, joyful memories were also made. About a week after the flood, a group of musicians from Our Lady of Grace Parish— the Steiberts, Jeff and Sandy Onifer, Chris and Patricia Benner and Steve and Deb Tomsich gathered at the Onifer’s house in a neighborhood along Sanford Lake that had been hit particularly hard.
“[They] played a concert for the neighborhood,” Laura said. “We were dancing in the street after working. I mean, people were in Muk Luks and sweatshirts. We shared a meal, danced in the street, and went home to rest to work again the next day. It was awesome.”
"God was with us every step of the way."
Aaron Skrok, Grand Knight at Our Lady of Grace Parish, Sanford // Midland resident
The Knights of Columbus are known for their service and charity, and the Our Lady of Grace Parish Sanford Council #8043 is no exception.
The day after residents could return to their homes, a fellow knight contacted Grand Knight Aaron Skrok, asking for help in their heavily damaged house.
“That kind of just initiated everything. I put the word out through our council ... Several of us showed up at his house and started working,” Aaron said.
Over the next several days, a group of about 10-15 knights assisted with the manual labor of gutting basements, removing debris and shoveling mud from about six homes. Other knights, particularly officers, also helped with a phone tree to check on others. Freeland Council #7582 and Midland Council #2141 also sent volunteer knights.
"It was just a blessing to see how many people stepped up and came up to help." — Aaron Skrok
For Aaron, the most memorable parts were simply seeing how many people, both Knights of Columbus and others, volunteered with the cleanup effort.
“It was just a blessing to see how many people stepped up and came up to help,” he said.
Through the approximately 70 hours of volunteer labor Aaron estimates, he has felt God’s presence.
“I personally feel that God has been with us every time we have been out helping at someone’s home during this disaster,” he said. “Most folks are so overwhelmed and not knowing where to start— you can see it when you arrive.”
Aaron says he begins by inviting a homeowner to take a step back and say a prayer before tackling the massive tasks one step at a time.
“When we finish that house that day, it is amazing to see how much we were able to accomplish. The most rewarding part is to see the happy faces of the folks even in this time of despair. I can’t count the number of thank yous we have gotten,” he said. It warms my heart to know we made a difference in someone’s life today, and God was with us every step of the way.”
"All it takes is showing up."
Father Andy Booms, Pastor of St. Brigid of Kildare Parish, Midland
Following the flood, donations began arriving at St. Brigid of Kildare Parish in Midland.
“Immediately, there were a number of people who wanted to find a way to help parishioners and help those who have been impacted,” said Father Andy Booms, pastor. “That’s been amazing in creating an ability to respond financially to those who have lost [utility services] in their home.”
Father Andy said that many homes’ washing machines, dryers, water heaters, furnaces and air conditioners were damaged beyond repair, and these basic services are needed for people to return to their homes.
“There’s numerous, countless ways to respond to the need because the need is so great and so immediate,” Father Andy said. “All it takes is just showing up.”
Father Andy said parishioners were helping one another not only financially and with meals, but also by assisting with cleanup and demolition, picking up trash, power washing the mud left by the river and cutting others’ lawns. Some even offered their homes to shelter strangers displaced by the flood.
“You get more than you give. At whatever level of ability that you are, there is something for everybody,” he said.
When the flood hit, Father Andy said, he saw Midlanders “snap out of the two months of anxiety, distance and worry” of the pandemic to help each other.
"Immediately, there were a number of people who wanted to find a way to help parishioners and help those who have been impacted." — Father Andy Booms
“One of the things that has been consistent throughout this community is how many people have been helping out, bringing food, bringing water, volunteering, doing cleanup work and reaching out to one another,” he said. “It’s not a matter of parish or denomination … Midland’s just a very civic-minded, community-minded city.”
It’s that togetherness of the community, he said, that is most impactful.
“One thing [tragedy] does is it just reinforces the basic vulnerability that none of us— no matter how prepared we think we are— we cannot exist as an island. Things happen in life that require us to reach out and to have the support of a community,” he said.
He has also seen another outcome of the flooding: gratitude, whether it be thankfulness for a dry house or for the volunteerism of friends and strangers alike.
“It increases gratitude because we realize God acts in lots of mysterious ways,” he said. “It’s a good opportunity for gratitude and to return that.”
"Family, friends and your faith are the most important."
Tony Mitus, St. Brigid of Kildare Parish, Midland
When the creek near their house began to slowly rise, Tony Mitus helped his wife Angelina and three sons evacuate, then stayed behind with a group working their way through the neighborhood, helping others move sentimental or valuable items out of their basements. He knew what to expect; the basement of their previous home had flooded in 2017.
“Unfortunately, we’re kind of veterans,” he quipped.
By the time the floodwaters receded, their basement had about three feet of water in it, ruining the furnace, water heater, air conditioner, washing machine and dryer. Most of the contents of the basement were also lost.
Still, once the most critical work in their basement was done, Tony went out to help others. He called a fellow St. Brigid parishioner who is also a concrete worker, and they worked to prop up collapsed basements. He described how, to stabilize one basement, they filled five-gallon buckets with clay and used 2-by-4 boards to prop it up so that others could get inside and safely clean it out. This week, he said, the foundation is being poured.
As he focused on others, friends and family helped clean the Mitus’ basement.
“You need a lot of power in numbers to help someone in that situation,” he said. “By the grace of God there have been so many people help us out.”
Mitus is quick to point out that he knew many people who stabilized their own homes and then went out to help others.
“The outreach is incredible,” he said. “It’s just great to see the power of people.”
Shortly after the flood, Angelina began experiencing symptoms of a coronavirus infection. The couple’s children stayed with family for about a week, as their home was not a safe environment for young children. That was difficult, Tony said.
“It makes you realize what’s really important,” Tony said. “Sometimes you can get caught up in the day-to-day, but family, friends, and your faith are the most important you can have in your life.”
Those family and friends — and strangers— showed up in big ways to help. Family, a friend from Grand Rapids, and even the brother of a friend whom the Mitus’s didn’t know came to assist with cleaning and repairs.
"Jesus says, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself. To me, that means you may not have to know your neighbor, but you should love everyone as yourself." — Tony Mitus
“There’s always someone who’s willing to help you and you just have to be willing to accept the help and embrace it,” Tony said.
For Tony, helping others has been a way to practice his faith even during a time when parishioners had not been able to attend Mass for months.
“Jesus says, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ To me, that means you may not have to know your neighbor, but you should love everyone as yourself,” he said.
By loving others through service, and accepting the help of others, the Mitus family is beginning to look forward. They have been able to get some repairs, such as their water heater and HVAC system. Still, there is a lot of sadness. Tony knows that it’s going to be difficult for many community members to recover financially, and there is still much work to be done.
“The silver lining is this community is absolutely amazing. People come together in the times of need and they help others get back on their feet and volunteer their time or their talent to help in any situation. It’s really amazing to see,” he said. “[Midland] certainly didn’t need this, but the silver lining is that sometimes destruction can bring out the best in people.”
"We're being the Church for people."
Annette Clark, Blessed Sacrament Parish, Midland
A self-professed “doer,” Blessed Sacrament parishioner Annette Clark began left work Tuesday, May 19, and immediately went to downtown Midland to see how she could help her community.
Annette began by helping evacuate residents from Riverside Place, a senior housing facility. She then went to Midland High School to help set up cots in the city’s emergency shelter and help evacuees.
Taking vacation days from work, she returned to the shelter Wednesday and spent 10 hours coordinating the collection, sorting and distribution of donated household goods.
“It was amazing how the donations continued to come in all day,” she said.
By Thursday, most guests at the emergency shelter had left, so Annette visited a hardware store and purchased $500 worth of cleaning supplies with funds gathered by her coworkers at Robert F. Murray & Company, CPAs, and headed to a neighborhood east of Sturgeon Avenue in Midland. She joined volunteers Blessed Sacrament Youth Group and the adult outreach ministry.
She began at her friends Dave and Angela Pasek’s house, where the couple hosted the youth group for years in their basement. A group of volunteers from Blessed Sacrament, including the youth outreach team, hauled sodden trash, ripped out carpet, demolished drywall, power washed and bleached their basements. By the end of the day, it was empty and drying with fans and dehumidifiers.
“It was great to work with the kids. The kids didn’t get to go [on their usual mission trip] this year because of COVID, so they nicknamed it Mission Midland 2020,” she said. “I truly think this helped them realize they can help at home.”
Once the Pasek’s house was done, the group moved throughout the neighborhood, helping wherever they were needed.
For Annette, her many volunteer efforts are intimately connected with her faith. A recent homily from Father Rob Howe at Blessed Sacrament, she said, particularly resonated with her. In his homily, Father Rob noted how the pandemic caused the temporary suspension of public Masses and gatherings, but “the Church isn’t really a building; it’s us.” He spoke of how individuals can go out and be the Church.
“That’s what we’re doing: we’re being the Church for people,” she said. “For me, that is professing my faith and hoping that maybe someone will pick up on that.”
"What's at the heart of who we are is our relationships with one another."
Father Rob Howe, Pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish, Midland
The dam failures began May 19 evening.
“Literally by the next morning we had an army of people that were out,” said Father Rob.
Parishioners, youth, and the Knights of Columbus all mobilized to help their friends and neighbors however they could.
The parish, like St. Brigid of Kildare, is also partnering with the American Red Cross and Midland’s Open Door to provide 252 bagged lunches over four days. The lunches, which include sandwiches, water, fruit snacks and a dessert are distributed to those helping with the cleanup efforts.
“One of the things we’ve done, because there’s been outreach across the state, is trying to give seed money to people who need thousands of dollars to get back in their homes,” Father Rob said, explaining that because insurance is generally not covering the damage, families need immediate financial assistance to for necessary repairs.
As he sees parishioners reaching out to others, Father Rob considers how the flood has changed people’s attitudes during the coronavirus pandemic. The focus, he said, has completely been on aiding others.
"What's at the heart of who we are is our relationships with one another." — Father Rob Howe
“They put their lives at risk to help others. You can’t be up to your knees in mud and gunk in somebody else’s basement and social distance very well, but they were willing to do that. I think it’s pretty impressive,” he said. “It’s a chance, from my perspective, to be really optimistic. You kind of get a negative vibe every once in a while that the whole world’s falling apart, until you see people reaching out to their neighbors in very difficult ways and not even counting the cost.”
A particularly generous example was a parishioner who owned a house that was currently sitting empty on the market. The parishioner reached out to Father Rob, offering the house for a displaced family to stay. Father Rob contacted a family, and he believes they are now staying at the house.
“Sometimes we can get bogged down into our own needs that aren’t really that big a deal in the big picture of life and when you realize someone you care about has now lost everything they have, you recognize that what’s at the heart of who we are is our relationships with one another,” he said. “It reprioritizes lives.”