It has been over a month since a catastrophic and deadly flood ravaged Eastern Kentucky, killing 39 people and destroying thousands of homes.Many in the Buckhorn have taken it upon themselves to rebuild the community. When the rain stopped, Joesph Crouse was in his side-by-side, helping his neighbors, and he's been out since.WLWT caught up with the hardworking Buckhorn native on the first day, saying back then, he was not worried about the damage to his property, but he was concerned about everyone else."I'm alive, and I could care less about anything else as long as we got our lives," Crouse said back then.The flood water washed houses, trucks, and memories miles downstream. A month later, the seemingly endless debris gives Crouse a mission to rebuild his waterlogged community along Squabble Creek."My house is fine, I'll take that, but I just want to take care of everybody else," Crouse said.One of the many people he checks on is Herold Riley. WLWT reporter Danielle Dindak spoke with the 81-year-old just hours after his house was swept away and everything he owned, including his dog, was inside."All I got left is the clothes on my back," Riley said back then.Riley received a sign from above, the unforgiving water returning the memories he loves most - pictures of his wife, who died in 2003."It's the only thing we found," Riley said. "I cherish it."Piecing his life back together, Riley got a new house with hopes of getting a pup to share it with soon. In the meantime, he is leaning on his neighbors to get him through."I think the whole community has come together a lot," Riley said. "They've been helping each other and everything."The people in Buckhorn are tough; with Crouse's help, he will get them all back on their feet."After it happened, it looked like a bomb went off like you were in a war," Crouse said. "As far as today, it looks a whole lot better."As the days go on, he hopes the number of volunteers does not dwindle."We thank everyone that's come to help from out of state," Crouse said. "I appreciate their help, I do. Just don't forget about us."
It has been over a month since a catastrophic and deadly flood ravaged Eastern Kentucky, killing 39 people and destroying thousands of homes.
Many in the Buckhorn have taken it upon themselves to rebuild the community. When the rain stopped, Joesph Crouse was in his side-by-side, helping his neighbors, and he's been out since.
WLWT caught up with the hardworking Buckhorn native on the first day, saying back then, he was not worried about the damage to his property, but he was concerned about everyone else.
"I'm alive, and I could care less about anything else as long as we got our lives," Crouse said back then.
The flood water washed houses, trucks, and memories miles downstream.
A month later, the seemingly endless debris gives Crouse a mission to rebuild his waterlogged community along Squabble Creek.
"My house is fine, I'll take that, but I just want to take care of everybody else," Crouse said.
One of the many people he checks on is Herold Riley.
WLWT reporter Danielle Dindak spoke with the 81-year-old just hours after his house was swept away and everything he owned, including his dog, was inside.
"All I got left is the clothes on my back," Riley said back then.
Riley received a sign from above, the unforgiving water returning the memories he loves most - pictures of his wife, who died in 2003.
"It's the only thing we found," Riley said. "I cherish it."
Piecing his life back together, Riley got a new house with hopes of getting a pup to share it with soon. In the meantime, he is leaning on his neighbors to get him through.
"I think the whole community has come together a lot," Riley said. "They've been helping each other and everything."
The people in Buckhorn are tough; with Crouse's help, he will get them all back on their feet.
"After it happened, it looked like a bomb went off like you were in a war," Crouse said. "As far as today, it looks a whole lot better."
As the days go on, he hopes the number of volunteers does not dwindle.
"We thank everyone that's come to help from out of state," Crouse said. "I appreciate their help, I do. Just don't forget about us."
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