AUGUSTA, Maine — The flooding in Maine that began Dec. 18 was tragic, claiming four lives.
Thousands more were still cleaning up on Tuesday. In Hallowell, men carried a dirty grill out of a building next to the Kennebec River and tossed it into one of a few giant dumpsters that lined the property.
Cleaning service trucks remained outside the Gardiner Hannaford. A sign at the end of the taped off, debris-laden parking lot directed those in need of a prescription to go to the pharmacy at the Augusta store instead. A company spokesperson told NEWS CENTER Maine Tuesday no one was available for an interview, but they vowed the store would reopen as soon as possible.
"Our Gardiner store experienced considerable water damage from the recent storm," the spokesperson wrote. "The store is temporarily closed while we assess this damage and we will provide updates as available. The health and safety of our associates and customers is our top priority and we will work to reopen the store when it is safe to do so."
A week prior, the mighty river remained engorged from the overnight deluge, but the water that lapped well over a foot above the base of the Hannaford's door was still enough for David Brann and his cousin Cameron Rowls to paddle a canoe across a nearby footbridge and into the shopping center's lot. In a photo taken by firefighter Gary Hickey, Brann can be seen casting his fly rod.
A positive attitude, Brann thought, could go a long way. It was also a full-circle moment for the West Gardiner native.
"My mother was the front-end manager at Hannaford in 1987 when the flood waters first hit," Brann said, referencing the last time his, and many other Maine families recalled flooding this bad.
Brann said his mother had told him her store manager canoed in through the front door on that day in '87, and paddled through the aisles, the water barely more than one foot from the ceiling tiles.
In Nearby Augusta, Paula Pratt showed us what was left of her hair salon, Love is in the Hair, after flood waters invaded four feet above the floor. Workers had cut out all of the sheetrock above the waterline, exposing the walls' innards throughout. They fixed fans and dehumidifiers of various makes and models—whatever is took to dry out the structure.
Pratt spoke over the loud whirling and said she and her four stylists had all been offered space and time at multiple salons in the area.
"It’s just been really great," Pratt smiled. "Everybody’s like, 'Oh my God, we’re so sorry. Let us know if we can do anything.' Right now, it’s just a waiting game. We need walls! Floors!"
The owner of Studio 330, who was providing workspaces for two of Pratt's stylists, told us the storm was devastating for self-employed professionals, and that she knew Pratt would have done the same thing if the roles were reversed.
Whether making the best of a very bad day, or making sure others are made whole, the right mindset can make a world of difference in the aftermath of disaster.
Like when we asked Brann if he caught anything on his line that day.
"A Mazda 6 and a shopping cart!" he laughed.