Historic flooding destroys family's memories of daughter killed at Sandy Hook – NBC Connecticut

A group of homeowners in a Middlebury neighborhood is asking for government assistance after last week's devastating floods sent feet of water into their basements and destroyed some families' most valuable possessions.

“Most of our daughter's things are gone. My husband's instruments worth over $50,000 are gone. Our memories, our photos,” said Nelba Marquez-Greene. “I don't know how my husband and I are going to cope with this.”

Marquez-Greene's daughter Ana Grace was killed in the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012. She was 6 years old.

“[We lost] 23 years of our memories and the six years of memories we had with our daughter,” she said.

The family was on vacation last week when they heard reports of the heavy rains and resulting flooding that devastated parts of western Connecticut.

“Some dear friends were able to come in [to the house] on Monday, and when they arrived they found a devastating experience,” she said.

Her basement was flooded to a depth of four feet, destroying memories of her deceased daughter, her husband's music equipment and more.

Now several boxes are stacked in the living room. They are all that is left of Ana Grace's belongings.

“Behind me are the few boxes that our neighbors were able to save and the memories of our daughter. What we saved is in those boxes,” Marquez-Greene said.

More than 30 houses in the private settlement were damaged, she said.

Gabriel Goja was in his basement with his wife and two small children when the water came in.

The family only moved to the community six weeks ago.

“The flood came up to my chest. The whole basement was destroyed. So much water came at once that we had no chance of saving anything,” said Goja. “Our wedding photos are gone, baby photos.”

Marquez-Greene met with her neighbors on Wednesday to discuss what to do. Because the project is privately owned, her options are limited.

“I want to pay my utmost respect to the people who have lost family members and whose entire homes are destroyed. I certainly don't want to make it seem like I suffered the most. But on behalf of the homeowners of Middlebury who are in the same situation as me right now, we need help, and we need it now,” Marquez-Greene added. “The taxpaying residents of Connecticut deserve more than to find out they are not protected in a once-in-a-millennium storm.”

Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) visited the district on Wednesday and said he would advocate for federal aid.

“What we can do is get immediate assistance from FEMA,” Blumenthal said. “Help should be available. We will fight for it.”