PERRY COUNTY, Ky. — Sunday marked Wanda Sue Miller's first day back at work since last month's flooding in Eastern Kentucky.
"It was just a horrifying experience," Miller said. "I've never seen nothing like that in my life."
Miller spoke via Zoom Sunday after she and her husband posted a video to Facebook that showed their vehicles being carried away by the fast-moving floodwaters.
"You've got a 2500 Dodge sitting there and it just takes it away," Miller said. "I mean, that's pretty strong."
The video, taken by the family's security cameras, showed Miller's front yard in Perry County. The yard had practically been transformed into a river.
The four parked vehicles were swept away by water. Miller said one of the vehicles was her husband's business car, but the three others were personal vehicles.
"The cars and stuff can be replaced," Miller said. "But my little girl can't."
Miller was inside her home at the time with her 12-year-old daughter, who has been grappling with the emotional anguish from those early morning hours.
"At first when it rained, she would just say, 'Are we gonna die?'" Miller said. "'Is it going to flood again?' Just panic mode."
Miller said she finds herself in the peculiar position of needing help, rather than solely providing it.
She comes from a family that takes pride in community service. Her son is a Hazard police officer, her husband is the Perry County 911 director, and she works for the Perry County Ambulance Authority.
"It's very hard to be the one needing help when you're used to helping people," Miller said.
This article was written by Mike Valente for WLEX.
