Mud was all over the kitchen counters, floor, everywhere inside the Mendiola family home in Cathedral City, near Palm Springs.
The family is still cleaning up more than a week after Tropical Storm Hilary flooded parts of their city and their home.Cathedral City was one of the hardest-hit areas and, like dozens of others, the Mendiolas had to be rescued from the flood waters. But their experience was different.
"I'm a mess," Arcie said. "I'm calling my son Eddie, because I don't know if it's the last time I'm going to see him, just to tell him that I love him. And if anything happens to us, just know that we love him, and it's just emotional, because, like my daughter says, it's the unknown. I mean, you would never expect something like this to happen to you."But then hope arrived.
"That's when reality just kind of hit us," he said. "And we're like, 'Wow, there's like people were hollering for help from both sides.' I think they seen my vehicle. They seen other people attempting, and other people weren't making it down there, so it seemed kind of like a dry hope for them."Then, they came back for the Mendiolas, helping them come down from the roof and into Laker's truck.For Arcie, Laker is a hero.
Fourteen elderly people living a few doors down in a board and care facility wouldn't be rescued until many hours later. In all, Cathedral City officials said fire crews rescued more than 60 people affected by the four to five feet of mudwalls.
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