The Disaster

So about a day after my last blog post our lives where taken for a spin that I could have never expected or wanted. 

It was July 12, 2022 and our mother had FaceTimed us to talk about her trip the next day.  We had been planning her visit for years at this point so getting to this point was exciting for all of us. 

We talked for hours and showed her outside, it had started to drizzle a little.   Going over plans, things to buy and see, it was a great and exciting phone call.

 It ended about two hours after it started and my brother and I decided to go to 7-11 to get a convenience store dinner as we were too lazy to cook and wanted to focus on finishing the cleaning and preparation for our parents arrival.

 By the time we got to 7-11 the rain had picked up and it was really coming down.  Running into the store ended with us being completely drenched.

 Gathering our favorite food and snacks we headed home to find a RIVER of water coming down our driveway and stairs.

 Jokingly I took a video and photo as it was like we were back in the Hilo rain (it rains HEAVY in Hilo).  WE made comment on how it was appropriate as mom and dad were coming.

 Opening the door we started to hear strange noises coming from outside and from the top of our house.  It was as if something was hitting the roof.  I ran outside to look thinking maybe it was hail as if that was the case I wanted to cover our car.  But did not see anything. 

 I went back in and the noises started to get louder and louder.  More sounding like breaking metal and at a loud enough decibel to make it concerning.

 Running back outside again to take a better look I had noticed that the canal behind our house had started to overflow and that the small retaining wall had become bent.  So I tried to relieve some of the pressure by digging a trench on the side and that’s when I saw it.

 The massive retaining wall behind our house had started to push outwards due to the massive amount of water behind it.  It was buckling at the drains and had already made contact with our home.

 I ran inside and started franticly yelling for my brother.

 “Get what you can, whats important”.

“Grab the dogs”

“Get to the car hurry”.

 We moved as fast as we could but stopped dead in our tracks when we say our tatami room.  It had started to fold in on itself and was like a massive trash compactor. 

Snapping out of the shock we gathered as much as we could and headed to the door.

 That’s when I realized that the door had become stuck.  The shifting of the foundation due to the water and the wall pushing up against the house had caused the door to wedge. 

 And due to the layout of the home it was the only way for us to get to safety. 

 I kicked, pushed and rammed the door.  But nothing happened.  My brother finally got the dogs and looked at me and with one last attempt to kick the door open it finally gave way.

 With two small bags each, our dogs and 1 cell phone we got into our car and sped away at the exact time our neighbors wall fell into our parking area.   We had missed getting crushed by 10 seconds.

 We drove away as fast as we could from the flooding disaster and headed to our neighbors home about a half a mile away from our house. 

 Speeding into the driveway yelling for help they came running from their chicken coop.  I yelled that the house was being destroyed and that the wall had started to crush it.  They quickly help me get things into a dry area. 

 I told them that they needed to call the police and emergency response.   Our neighbor was an elderly lady and I was not sure if she had gotten out.   Luckily because of our actions we were told that she was saved.   I ran into her once since everything happened and she cried and told me thank you for saving her life…

 In any case, after about an hour or so of pure chaos we sat together around a table and were shocked.   Not knowing up from down.

 That’s when my brother said, we should probably call mom.

 I called her and told her what had happened and of course she did what all mothers would likely do.  She came. 

 Since then she has been helping us get back on track.  To get our lives back in order and has been with us each step of the way.

 Anyways this post is incredibly long but I wanted to explain why we have been away.  What has happened.

 We have decided to move to Hokkaido, to be near our family and for a better opportunity to start our lives.

 So please forgive the absence; we are coming back soon.   And please come along for the journey with us!