When you're asked to leave your home...
Courtesy photo Heavy rain washed out the driveway of Tom Enlow’s Harrison home and caused other damage, forcing him and his wife to leave the residence.
Courtesy photo Rain washed away material under the concrete patio of Tom Enlow's Harrison home. He and his wife Ida are not sure when they will be allowed to permanently return.
By BRIAN WALKER
Staff Writer
HARRISON — Tom Enlow thought he was set for retirement, but then Mother Nature came streaming onto his hillside property.
Recent heavy rain and snow melt wiped out his driveway on Sunset Terrace, washed out soil under his concrete patio, caused a crack in his garage and forced him and his wife to leave his two-story home on Friday due to unsafe conditions.
"I don't know what's going to happen yet," the 81-year-old said softly on Monday. "We were hoping for a blissful retirement with a beautiful lake view, but now there's helter skelter on that. We're praying that the rain will stop."
Enlow and his wife, Ida, 78, finally moved into their home last September and were looking forward to peaceful times ahead after a rocky start.
He said he spent about $50,000 on foundation repair after a slide about eight years ago. "That depleted our savings," he said. "It seems like it's been one thing after another."
Enlow said only time will tell if emergency funds will kick in to assist him with the latest damage. The city of Harrison declared a disaster last week due to slides and flooding, opening the possibility for emergency funding help.
The American Red Cross is putting the couple in a Harrison hotel while the damage is being assessed and repaired.
Enlow said he is allowed to enter his home to retrieve belongings as needed. He said it's a difficult trek when he does.
"It looks like an earthquake hit up there," he said.
Enlow said the city, neighbors and others have been willing to help while they are away from their home.
"It could be months before we get back in," he said. "We just don’t know. They have to let the soil dry out first."
Enlow said there were tense days leading up to when the couple were asked by the city to voluntarily leave their home.
"I was up two or three times a night checking on the level (of the home)," he said.
The Kootenai County Board of Commissioners and staff on Friday concurred with the city's assessment that the property is not safe enough to be occupied.
Enlow said leaving the home was difficult, but the couple understand the circumstances.
Enlow said the main structure of the home appears to be on solid ground.
"I don't believe the house will go anywhere," he said.
Harrison Mayor Wanda Irish said the soggy weather continues to be an issue as the city and state are battling slides on both ends of town. The campground near Gateway Marina has also been flooded.
"Once the lake finally recedes enough, the community will come together to pick up and clean the city," Irish said. "We want all our businesses to do well this summer."
Enlow said he and Ida are clinging to the facts that they have each other, and that things could be worse, to get through the mess.
"It's unnerving at times, but we're just trying to take it one day at a time to see what happens," he said. "We try to encourage each other. It's all you can do."