STRAWBERRY PLAINS, Tenn. — The flash flood waters from February have risen to 12 feet at Windi Walker's home in Strawberry Plains, forcing her to go by boat to retrieve her belongings.
Walker says even when it's not raining in East Tennessee, the water continues to rise in her home because it's in one of the lowest points of her neighborhood.
“I come back and I just take pictures of it and it’s risen six inches, nine inches, a foot," Walker said. "It’s still draining from the rest of the subdivision so even if it doesn’t rain it still rises.”
The bottom floor of the home is filled to the brim, with water inching closer to the living room.
In fear, Walker, a single mom and veteran, packed up her life and watched it float to dry land by boat. Her friends and family graciously lent a hand and their time to help retrieve what Walker had packed up in waterproof totes.
"Our goal today is to just try to get what I can out and save what I can," Walker admitted.
Walker had visited her home earlier in the week to gather pictures and memories that were irreplaceable.
The flooding damage is something Windi was hoping to avoid. She says she applied for flood insurance a couple of years ago, only to be denied.
“Now when I bought the house it was not a 'flood zone,' so you know it bothers me that I tried to get flood insurance and I was told that it wouldn’t cover it even if I had it because I don’t have a house on either side of me," Walker explained. "It's not my problem I don’t have a house on either side of me, but it’s a problem that I tried to protect myself and was denied and told it wouldn’t help me regardless.”
Walker's life is underwater and she's overwhelmed. She says she has no idea what to do next, and saving her things doesn't mean she's saved from her monthly payments.
Walker said, "Nothing stops. I still have to pay my mortgage and I still have to pay those things and I'm not even able to live there."
So tote by tote and boat by boat, Windi prays through tears something can be done soon to get rid of her "lake-front property."
Overall, Walker says she is so thankful for those who have volunteered to help her out during a time of need.
"I've been very humbled this week at the amount of people that's helped me," Walker noted. "I could never repay them. But I'm very thankful."
Walker is worried if the issue isn't fixed, the flooding will keep happening. She says her property has never flooded this bad but was told by other property owners nearby the lot would flood years ago.
Walker says she wasn't notified when she bought the home seven years ago that her lot had the potential to flood this much.
Walker has reported her damage to 311 and has reached out to the county for assistance, but so far hasn't heard back.
Walker's friends have set up a GoFundMe to help with expenses so her and her 11-year-old daughter can try and stay afloat.