From July 25-28, the St. Louis area saw an unprecedented amount of rain.  

On the morning of July 26, teacher Tom Ford’s home was forever changed.

“I got the first alert at four in the morning. I went outside to check on the river which looked like it was maybe three quarters of the way up,” Ford said, who lives in University City. 

In a 24 hour period, University City received nearly eight inches of rain. 

They soon found out that was just the start of what was yet to come.

“When I got back in the house when the second alert hit, my wife and I debated whether or not we should leave the house. She said ‘no we’re not allowed to leave the house because it said on the alert to stay where we are’ but by the time we had that conversation the water was already coming over the top of her car,” Ford said. 

The car wasn’t the only thing that got destroyed in the flood. 

“Water filled the basement and the first floor. I lost my entire wardrobe, all the tools, washer and dryer, and we lost the furniture and flooring,” Ford said. 

Not everything was swallowed up by the water; in fact, he was able to salvage and start replacing a few items.

“They will be replacing the electric, the air conditioner, the furnace, stove, and fridge. We kept a dining room table that a friend made and a piece of furniture that my father in-law made for my wife,” Ford said. 

Initially, after the flood, they chose to stay with friends and family. However, they are now renting a place because of the damage done to the home. They have even looked at new home options. 

Ford said, “The walls and flooring had been pulled out and the windows and the doors won’t even close, everything was caked in sewage.”

Many people were devastated to hear that this happened. 

“It broke my heart for him and his family,” secretary Chris Martin said, who sent out a Go Fund Me page to staff in early August. 

Ford, who is known for his unique wardrobe with his patented boots, said people have helped them get through a difficult time. 

Ford said, “Directly following the flood, the Windsor staff and community immediately organized to replace my lost wardrobe and make sure we, myself, my wife, and our dogs were safe and provided for.”