Huger flood victims describe harrowing experience

Huger residents Martine and David Jeffcoat have long enjoyed the picturesque view of quiet French Quarter Creek from the backyard of their home, along with easy water access.
 
But in the early evening hours of Saturday, October 3, the tidal waterway in this small, close knit community began to overflow its banks in the midst of a historic, unprecedented rainfall. Martine and David had prepared the day before, putting sandbags down at the doors to their home. As the tide came in, they watched, expecting the water to rise a bit and then recede.
 
“A little after 5 o’clock, the tide starting coming up to the back of the house,” said David. “…We figured it would come in and then it would be gone.”
 
They kept a close eye on the creek for the next hour, and when the water continued to creep towards the house, ultimately lapping at their back door, they decided it was time to go. They grabbed two bags of clothes and placed other keepsakes high up on furniture or shelving and headed out to escape before it was too late.
 
“We would never have imagined we would need more than two days’ worth of clothes,” added David. “We didn’t think it was ever going to come in (the house).”
 
Wading through waist-deep water, they made it to their truck, which they had parked earlier on higher ground at a neighbor’s home. Their goal - get to the end of French Quarter Creek Road where it meets Cainhoy Road, and hopefully make it safely out of the area. It was about 8 p.m. Darkness had descended upon them, along with a torrential rain. About halfway down the mile-long street, after successfully passing through two stretches of rising water on the road, they reached a point they couldn’t cross. Their anxieties began to mount.
 
“We waded out a bit and thought there is no way we’re going to get through there,” recalled Martine.
 
David left Martine, and their dog, Finn, in the truck, and waded back to the house to get his kayak. In the meantime, they had called friends Jerry and Lauren Justice, who live in Dunes West, to come and pick them up at Cainhoy Road.
 
David returned with the kayak, loaded up their clothes and a few other supplies and paddled down the last stretch of water to the intersection, where his friends were waiting. He then turned and went back for Martine and Finn.
 
“That was probably the scariest part,” said Martine.
 
“We couldn’t paddle through the current when we got to the end,” added David. “(My friend) was about 100 yards in, in the water, so he grabbed us and towed us out!”
 
They spent the next two nights at the Justice’s home and then Martine received a call from another friend, Daniel Island resident Shannon Praete, who told her that the Coulter family on the island had offered their garage apartment and that they were welcome to stay as long as they needed. The Jeffcoats moved in on Monday with the few belongings they had taken from their home. Praete put out a message on Facebook about Martine and David’s experience and asked the community for help.
 
“Within 30 minutes, we had six people come by dropping off toiletries, clothing, dog food, everything we could ever need!” said Martine.
 
At that point, they still didn’t know about the fate of their neighborhood on French Quarter Creek. They had heard everyone eventually got out. A woman and her child were rescued by helicopter from the rooftop of their neighbor’s home, and others were taken out by boat. On Tuesday, a military transport truck took them back in to assess the damage. They were given 10 minutes to look around and gather what they needed.
 
“Basically, water was still surrounding the house,” said Martine. “You could see the outside water mark.”
 
They estimate the water hit close to the five foot mark on the exterior of their house, and about three feet on the inside.
 
“The house is going to have to be completely gutted,” added David. “All the electrical re-done. It’s going to be quite a while before we can move back in.”
 
Taking some time to reflect on the whole experience, Martine and David both agreed they had never seen the water levels get that high at their home since purchasing the property in 2005, and they certainly hope they never experience it again. As they prepare to restore their home and replace what they lost, they are choosing to focus on the positives - such as the incredible generosity of both friends and strangers.
 
“Two words just constantly circle in my head all day long - grateful and overwhelmed,” said Martine, who admits she has frequently been moved to tears by the outpouring of support. “I am just so overwhelmed. They don’t even know us, but somebody said we needed help and within hours they were so willing to give their money, their time…we had so many donations. I started crying when Shannon texted me and asked me for my shoe size!”
 
Fortunately, the couple did have flood insurance on their property, but it will take time to work through all the clean-up that will be necessary. For now, the couple is counting their blessings, among them a caring community that has made all the difference.
 
“You think about it, in the stage we’re in, we’re both employed,” said David. “We have jobs and we never think about things like this happening. I never thought we wouldn’t have anything…I just can’t believe the generosity of people. It just makes you believe again.”