By Boyd Brown, special to Statehouse Report | It has been amazing to witness the best of South Carolina rise above the dark waters which flooded our neighborhoods, homes, churches and schools this past week. Outside of the omnipresent heroism of our first responders that we too often take for granted, there have been countless stories of courage and compassion, none of which are more important than the other, but these are several which highlight the greatness of this state we all call home:
Tom and Julie Hall of Columbia saw an elderly man in a submerged vehicle in raging water, at which point the couple went in after him, saving both the stranger and his dog. The man, traveling through from Canada, had no car or place to stay, so the Halls put him up in their house until he could get passage to his family in Florida.
John Wienges Jr., a St. Matthews native, and Judge Phil Lenski of Columbia heard cries from their neighbors. While Wienges’ home was taking on water, he and Lenski left in a canoe to rescue their neighbors who in a flooding attic. Had Wienges’ and Lenski’s quick efforts not worked, the neighbors would likely be among the casualties of the flood.
Braden Stoneburner, Stan and Mason Harpe, and William Cason are just a few of the many in the Lake Katherine area who used their jonboats to take neighbors and strangers alike to higher ground. Stoneburner went out in the dark hours of Sunday morning to rescue neighbors who were crying for help, saving elderly and children alike. With the neighborhood taking on rushing water, he selflessly made multiple rescues.
As flooding spread further toward the Lowcountry, the amazing story of Pastor Wayne Reeves of Ridgeville recovering coffins from floodwaters made headlines. When asked why he was wading through water to bring the coffins to dry ground, Reeves explained, “If that was my mama or my dad, I would walk through hell or high water… and today it happened to be high water.”
In the aftermath of the destruction, the world once again witnessed South Carolina display her generosity. Items had to be maneuvered from one shelter to another, simply because volunteers had brought too much. Crowdfunding websites popped up left and right, and within hours, goals of thousands of dollars were met to help aid in recovery costs for flood victims.
Among those recovery efforts, Joe Blanchard of Blanchard Caterpillar was one of the many business owners who stepped up to provide assistance where needed. In Blanchard’s instance, he donated two Caterpillar backhoes to the City of Columbia’s canal repair. Later in the day, first responders used a Chinook helicopter to lift the donated tractors across the water and into use, trying to restore Columbia’s main source of clean water.
Among the volunteers cleaning up, Hammond School’s football team showed up early Tuesday to help clean a house near Lake Katherine. The house belonged to their rival’s athletic director, Jeff Whalen and his family. When asked about helping a rival coach, one player responded to a reporter with a confused, “but we all live in Columbia.”
Kassy Alia, widow of slain Forest Acres police officer Greg Alia, volunteered her time and assistance to helping victim families less than a week after her husband was gunned down in the line of duty, proving that the Alia family has more than one hero.
And finally, while leaving a cleanup site on Wednesday, I passed a handmade sign that had been posted in a flood victim’s yard that quoted Psalm 118, “This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad.”
That is what is remarkable about the resilient people of South Carolina. From our elected leaders who continue to do a wonderful job in this process to our everyday citizens, we put a smile on our face, roll up our sleeves and get to work. Across every social boundary, we lend our helping hands without asking questions.
Thousands of South Carolinians have lost their homes and their belongings — at the time of this writing, water has not begun to retract in Williamsburg, Clarendon and parts of Sumter counties. Walking into one flooded house was reminiscent of an insurance company ad—wedding photos damp on the ground, children’s toys waterlogged in the street. Homes and communities have not only been destroyed, but lives have as well.
As the waters lower and blue skies emerge, spirits and prayers are lifted. With the helping hands of all South Carolinians, we will rebuild our communities and state together, stronger than before. After all, while we breathe, we do in fact hope, and that hope is for a better tomorrow.
Former Democratic state Rep. Boyd Brown is a commercial real estate broker in Columbia. He lives in Ridgeway and serves as the appointee for the 5th Congressional District on South Carolina’s Conservation Bank board of directors.
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