Community gathers to remember flood victims a year later in Upper Makefield

Scott Richards doesn’t live in Upper Makefield. He didn’t know anyone impacted by the flash floods that devastated that community a year ago.

But he thinks about the people who lost their lives every day, he said.

Tears rimmed his eyes on Monday night as he spoke about the night when six inches of rain overwhelmed Houghs Creek sending a wall of water onto a one-mile stretch of Washington Crossing Road, trapping 11 vehicles.

Seven people dragged under guardrails by the 30-mph water died including two children.

“It was like yesterday. I can’t believe it’s been a year,” the Morrisville man said, his voice cracking. "And the poor baby that was never recovered."

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Richards was among the more than 100 people who gathered atop a hill near the Washington Crossing United Methodist Church for a memorial service marking the year anniversary of the fatal flash floods.

The Taylorsville Road church, known as "The Crossing Church," served as the epicenter of the local emergency response to the catastrophic flooding during the first hours of the flash flood.

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Five days later, the church again opened its doors to the community for a candlelight vigil honoring survivors, victims and the first responders whose tireless search efforts were still taking place for the two youngest victims, who were under 3.

On Monday, Pastor George Clash announced plans to turn the piece of church ground where the anniversary service was held into a prayer garden dedicated to the flood victims.

The space will include dawn redwood and white pine trees, flowering shrubs, potted plants, two park benches and lattice-style fencing.

There will also be two plaques engraved with the names of Katie Seley, Matilda Sheils, Conrad Sheils, Enzo and Linda DePiero, Yuko Love, and Susan Barnhardt.

“Tonight we remember them. We say their names,” Clash said. “We thank God for who they were when they were here with us.”

Clash said the floods taught the importance of community and people are at their best when they come together to support each other.

“Death teaches us to value time,” Clash added.

Zack DePiero, the only child of Enzo and Linda DePiero, expressed gratitude for the too-short time he had with his parents, and their time with his daughter, Fifi, and wife, Sabira. He described their small family as one with “Goliath-size love.”

“We didn’t just love each other, we liked each other,” DePiero said.

In the year since their deaths, DePiero said that he wrote a note in Sharpie marker in the entrance to his parents Newtown Township home to remind him when he visits to be thankful for what he has in life.

Newtown Township resident David Love, who lost his wife, Yuko, after they were both swept into flood waters, expressed his gratitude to the community in English and Japanese, his late wife’s native language.

His wife greatly enriched his life, and without her, Love said he is a much poorer man.  He misses everything about his wife, including her delicious Japanese cooking, he said.

“Yuko, I love you. Yuko, I miss you,” he said, his voice cracking. “I am sorry I didn’t protect you.”

Newtown Township resident Paul Sheils spoke on behalf of his son, Jim and grandson, Jack, now 5, who were rescued. His son’s fiance, Katie Seley, and the couple’s two other children, Matilda, 2, and Conrad, 9-months, who were lost.  Seley’s mother, Dahlia Galindez, also survived after she was swept away.

Sheils expressed gratitude for the unparalleled effort of first responders who worked tirelessly to search for the bodies of Mattie and Conrad for 11 days.

“No stone was left unturned to bring our precious children home,” Sheils said.

The Upper Makefield Fire Company plans to officially name its new rescue vehicles, a high water truck, and a Utility Terrain Vehicle, after each of the children, Sheils added.

The youngest victims of the flood were forefront on the minds of those who attended the service.

Upper Southampton resident Lucille Jaisle didn’t know of the victims or survivors, but she is haunted by the images of Conrad, whose body was not recovered.

“To this day, everytime it rains, I see that little boy’s face,” she said.

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Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Family of Upper Makefield flash flood victims express grief, gratitude