It’s only fitting that after stopping at a truck stop called “Love’s,” that we would witness an act of love (in the form of friendship) between new friends.
“We’re going on the other side of Dallas,” said Kim Bulkowski, after introducing herself to the Grossling family in the Love’s parking lot in Hutchins.
Claudio Grossling was quick to offer Kim a bottle of water, “We can share with you, if you need.”
Kim had walked up to Claudio and his wife, Nancy, and asked if they too drove up from Houston. With a quick answer of, “yes,” all three were bonded by a shared devastation.
“And it was just flooding in our house . . . it’s a mess, it’s unbelievable,” Kim said.
She, like many others living in southeast Texas, witnessed flood waters go up quickly.
“Five houses down from our house and it was up to our front door in 30 minutes,” Kim said. “It’s terrifying, I mean we have ten dogs we had to get out of the house.”
She and her husband loaded up their truck with their pets, some clothes and documents—everything else, Kim left behind.
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For the Grossling family, they decided to leave The Woodlands after receiving a text from their local fire department warning them of imminent flooding.
“Ya, when I received this information, I decided, okay it’s time to leave,” Nancy said.
We asked if it was easy deciding what to take with them and what to leave behind.
“No, no,” Claudio said. “It’s part of your life. For us we are coming from Chile, we are living here 25 years, everything is there in that house. All of our memories, everything. It’s very hard to leave.”
“It’s awful,” Kim said. As her voice stars to shake Nancy puts her hand on Kim’s shoulder to console her. “Not knowing what you’re going back to . . . everything’s gone,” Kim said. She looks down and shakes her head as tears roll down her face. She told us her mother also had to stay behind in Houston, adding an additional layer of uncertainty.
Nancy hugs her and Claudio reassures them of something that is difficult to remember in times of struggle, “We’ll be fine, everything will be fine, yes, yes.”
A new friendship at a time of great need.
“We’re alive,” Kim said. “Yes, nothing is more important,” Claudio responded.
Nothing is more important.
“And we will pray for your mom,” Claudio said to Kim as the new friends parted ways.
