Weekend flooding resulted in dozens of rescues across North Texas. In Lewisville, residents of one mobile home community say they've never seen it so bad.
The Midway Branch of the Elm Fork in Lewisville was quiet Monday, but over the weekend it was anything but.
"This is the worst it's ever been," said Lauren Neal, whose parents have lived in a mobile home park near the creek for more than 20 years.
Storms, which began Friday, dumped rain by the bucketful -- seven inches of rain, in a 24-hour period. For Larry Don Stephens and his wife of 37 years, Geneva -- there was nothing they could do, but watch.
"It's a real helpless feeling," Stephens said.
Watch while their house filled with water. Watch while firefighters brought their daughter and grandkids to safety, by boat, as the flood waters rose. With health problems of his own, Larry chose to stay behind.
"The old adage, if the Lord willing and the creek don't rise. Well, the Lord was willing and the creek rose too," he said.
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Two days later, everything is still wet in a part of Lewisville that's flooded at least a dozen times in recent years, according to city officials.
"Somebody asked yesterday, 'Why don't you sell it?'" said long-time resident Mary Rogers. "Well, who's going to buy it? Do you think I would have bought it if I knew it was a flood zone?"
Residents contend the flooding has worsened with each new development up the road.
"It would be nice if the city fixed it's drainage problem," Stephens said. "If they did that, we wouldn't have this problem."
A spokesman for the city of Lewisville said engineers don't believe nearby construction is contributing to drainage issues. James Kunke said the city will revisit the issue. He said the park itself pre-dates the incorporation of the city of Lewisville, and that under today's guidelines the trailer park would not be allowed to be built there.
On Monday, the Red Cross dropped off cleaning kits. A day before, a local brewery collected donations of food and supplies for flood-affected residents.
Meanwhile, those residents have a big mess to clean up. A GoFundMe page has been established to help residents with costs they know won't be covered by homeowners insurance. They worry about mold in their water-soaked home.
"Larry asked me Saturday, 'What are we gonna do?'" Geneva Stephens said. "I said, 'We'll do what we always do. Just keep on keeping on.'"
Despite the latest flood, the Stephens are thankful. They said it could have been worse.
"The Bible says the Lord won't put anything upon us we can't handle," said Larry. "Sometimes I think he and I have a difference on that opinion."
