Local

Strangers help 80-year-old widow after her home of 59 years was damaged by historic floods

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — After living since 1961 in the same home where she raised her family and cared for people in need, Linda Linden said even record flooding from a nearby Issaquah Creek tributary had never reached her home.

But the powerful flood currents which came crashing down from Tiger Mountain on Feb. 7 changed everything. “It’s never come in my house before,” Linden said. "This water came into my house.''

The 80-year-old widow said she’d never seen anything like the power of the swift rushing water which left her yard and part of her home a muddy mess.

Linden said at first, the damage came quietly, at 3 a.m.

“I thought ‘how come my feet are wet, and why are my pajamas getting soaked?’ I was sloshing through all this mud and water on my floors.”

For the next 48 hours, the flow was relentless. It filled the old nearby creek bed to the top with rocks, and the creek carved a completely new path, right through her home--where it left warped floors and more damage insurance will not cover.

The woman is known for helping others in need, including volunteering to help survivors of the Paradise, CA wildfires, and always living her faith by helping neighbors, is now receiving help.

In the last couple of days, people have anonymously donated to help Linda stay in her flood-damaged home through a GoFundMe page, which moved Linda to tears.

“I cry because of the generosity of people,” she said. “It just blesses my heart again! God is good all the time!”