Brown Deer flood victim gets surprise help from community members

Brown Deer flood victim gets surprise help

An 85-year-old woman in Brown Deer is getting much-needed help after her basement flooded during the recent storms.

BROWN DEER, Wis. - An 85-year-old woman in Brown Deer is getting much-needed help after her basement flooded during the recent storms.

What we know:

Joanne Collins said she was already struggling with her husband in the hospital when water from a sewer backup filled her basement.

"My life is on the street right now, and my husband is in the hospital," she said. "And so, it's just me."

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That’s when Christina Rapoza stepped in. After hearing about her situation, Rapoza put out a call for help on Facebook. 

The response was overwhelming. 

Local perspective:

By Saturday, volunteers arrived at Collins’ home, ready to carry out water-damaged belongings and help her start recovery.

"I've always been proud to be from this village. This is a lot like my hometown from down in Texas," Rapoza said. "Everybody comes together in bad moments like this."

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Collins was left humbled by the generosity.

"If you don't believe there are good people in the world, take a look, cause there are... and they're all here, I think, today," she said.