SAN DIEGO — Four months after the first raindrops fell on January 22, it’s still not easy for Angie Landavazo to talk about everything that happened that day.
"I didn't think it was going to be hard," Landavazo said after getting emotional.
"Within 15 minutes, the water was at my house,” Landavazo said. “It was like a very strong current. It knocked down my gate, the wrought iron gate, our garage door was bent."
"We had to come out through a top window from the second floor and come out of there into a kayak come out through the roof," Landavazo said.
Landavazo now works as a case manager at the Global Empowerment Mission’s long term recovery warehouse helping other flood victims while she and her family continue living out of a hotel and rebuilding their home. Moving back into their home is still a couple of months away.
Landavazo said her neighbors could be heard screaming for help from their rooftops.
"If I'm going through (trauma from) that, imagine the people that did have to rescue their neighbors in the water. It's hard because it's never going to leave you," Landavazo said.
Ana Ramirez is one of those neighbors turned hero. She is now working as a flood victim case worker.
"They just offered me the position. They said you're already doing the job of a disaster case manager," Ramirez shared proudly.
Before this, Ramirez risked it all on January 22 to help her family and her neighbors escape the rising floodwaters in Shelltown. Ana moved cars to dry ground and saved other people’s lives.
"(When I got back) there was water inside the house already. My three-year-old was on a chair. She was just standing, like looking around. She was scared,” Ramirez remembered.
"When I was on my way back for my sister, I saw my neighbor who is pregnant. She was crying coming out of the back alley. She was like 'My mom is stuck in the house and she doesn't know how to swim.’ So, I told her, ‘I'll come back for your mom – don't worry.’"
Ramirez describes finding her sister in shock and helping her escape the rising flood waters inside their home.
"She was just frozen. She was paralyzed. She didn't know what to do. I was talking to her. She didn't know what to do,” Ramirez cried.
"She's like, how are we gonna get out how like, and I told her, just grab on to the fence and just pull your body. Pull your body," Ramirez remembered as she recounted everything she could in her efforts to save her neighbors and family.
Today, Ramirez isn't sure she wants to move back into her home after it’s fixed from the storms.
After losing everything she owned, Ramirez said there are too many memories from the storm she'll never forget.
So many San Diegans still need help with their recovery efforts after the January 22 storm. If you’d like to lend a hand, CBS 8 has partnered with The Salvation Army. You can drop off donations to help flood victims at any Salvation Army Thrift Store across San Diego County.
Global Empowerment Missions is also looking for volunteers to help flood victims. Email Elizabeth at Elizabeth@GlobalEmpowermentMission.org for details.
Watch Related: Woman who lost 4 cars in January flood gives update on insurance claims (May 22, 2024)