Guest Entry by Calli Forbes, Communications Coordinator in Alberta
"Elizabeth Vigueras is my family’s saviour." That's what Carlos Ramirez told us as he shared his family's experience with recent flooding in High River, Alberta.
On Thursday, June 20, 2013, Elizabeth, the mother of three young girls all under the age of 10, risked her life in order to save Carlos’ wife, Julia Elizabeth Santos, and their three-month-old son, Derek. Julia and Derek were sound asleep in their High River home as flood waters rushed dangerously into the community.
Carlos was working at the Cargill plant outside of town when he first heard of the flooding. He tried desperately to get to his wife and young son, however, emergency vehicles blockaded the streets of High River as the water levels rose at an alarming rate.
Elizabeth Vigueras was able to get to the Ramirez home and banged on the door for nearly 10 minutes before the young mother woke up.
Water levels forced the women to set out on foot amongst other residents trying to evacuate the community. At one point, Julia watched in horror as a lady walking in front of her lost her balance to the rushing current, fearing for her own son who was being carried above a man’s head.
The group of residents found refuge in Carson’s Coffee Shop, where they were miraculously rescued in a front-end loader. Eventually Elizabeth was reunited with her husband and three young girls, as were Julia and her baby with Carlos, and their two other sons, Brandon and Cesar.
We met both families while they were staying at a shelter run by the Canadian Red Cross in nearby Okotoks. Elizabeth says it’s not ideal, but the support of other families and staff has been amazing. “We feel like we’re with family,” she says.
As she often reminds her three young girls, materials items do not matter.
“We came to this country with nothing,” says Elizabeth, who is originally from Mexico. “We can do it again. The most important thing is to be together as a family.”