Six months after the historic flooding that devastated parts of San Diego and the surrounding communities, many of the victims are still feeling the effects of the disaster.
Mike and Marta Gomez are among those victims still rebuilding their home in Southcrest. But they are, above all, grateful to be alive.
“I saw the water reaching all the way to the top of the creek,” Mike Gomez recalled. “And then it started overflowing and I told my wife, 'It’s going to get bad,' and it did.”
Mike Gomez said he knew the January 22, 2024, rains were big. He didn’t know it would put him and his wife in intensive care.
Get top local stories in San Diego delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC San Diego's News Headlines newsletter.
They were rescued from their home by boat and taken to the hospital. He says he stayed a day, but his wife was hospitalized for nearly a month.
Birds? Red tape? Army Corps of Engineers? What’s to blame for historic San Diego flooding?
After they got out, they stayed with family as they recovered. After more than 50 years in their house next to the creek, they had little to return home to.
“The house was completely destroyed on the inside,” Mike Gomez said. “Completely, I mean everything: all the walls, water just, all the furniture everything, all destroyed.”
Mike Gomez said FEMA gave them $48,000 to rebuild, but they’ve so far spent about $70,000.
“We’ve still got a long way to go, but basically, we’re poor,” he said.
Covering the historic January 22nd floods
After losing everything, much of the furniture filling their home now came as donations from friends, Marta Gomez said.
They said they still need a washer and dryer, new windows and concrete replaced around their home, so they’re not walking on boards in and out of their front door.
With much left to do – and a dumpster still out front – the couple said the flood took so much, but left them with a reminder of what’s truly important.
“I just prayed to the Lord, that he saved our lives. That was the most important thing. All the rest can be replaced but our life cannot,” Mike Gomez said.
They said they’re just one family of so many in their neighborhood that are still rebuilding, even six months later.
