Georgians empathize with Iowa flood victims - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

LEE COUNTY, GA (WALB) - Record flooding continues in the Midwest. Leevees are still being breached along the Mississippi River, but sandbagging may be paying off in some towns.

This midwest flood brings back memories for those of us who experienced the flood of 1994. We faced many of the same challenges and felt the same heartache.

A familiar face from the flood of 94 recalls that Faith, Family and Friends are what pulled him through.

When Bob Fowler sees the images of the flood that is hammering the midwest right now, he's flooded with memories of his own. "It just got everything. It was a nightmare," he said.

So many of you watched on our news as Fowler returned to his flooded home on Lover's Lane Road.

Their house had five feet of water inside, and nothing could have prepared him for the devastation. "There's just no way to describe the feeling when you walk in your house after a flood and you see your couches floating, your china cabinet turned over and your tables falling apart."

And even though he lost all of his belongings, he believes the folks who've been flooded in the midwest are facing even more devastation.

He said, "My thoughts and prayers are with them because I think they have it worse than we did. We lost the house and lost the cottage, yet we didn't lose our living because we didn't have all these hundreds of acres flooded. These farmers out there are just in terrible shape."

And he says if he could give them any words of comfort, they would be to Keep friends, family and faith, close to their hearts.  "Just have a strong faith that you'll be able to overcome."

And know the waters will eventually recede. As was the case with so many of your homes, Bob Fowler's house was filled with water for eight days. And, like many of you, his family lived in a camper while they rebuilt.

They still live in the same house on the bank of Lake Chehaw where they've lived for a half century.

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