Thursday, June 2, 2011

"Never Forget Where You Came From"

If you were fortunate enough to know Walt Fiegel, the late football coach/ teacher from Sioux City East High, you'd most likely know two favorites among his many favorite sayings.

"Never forget where you came from," was one. "Tough times don't last, tough people do," was the other. (He had many!)

Well old Walt is looking down smiling right now at the community he called home for 40 years.

As thousands of people in the Siouxland area are dealing with the rising water levels of the Missouri River, those two phrases are living and breathing in the bodies of thousands of volunteers helping people out.

People drove from Omaha, Sioux Falls, Minneapolis, Chicago and beyond to help out their hometown and their friends and family. That's a whole lot of remembering where you came from going on.

As the people in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota loaded all of their life possessions and memories into semi-trailers, pick up trucks, or whatever vehicle they could find (rumor has it one man was seen riding a Segway down Dakota Dunes Blvd for a box of garbage bags), it was very clear that these were tough people that were going to outlast the tough times.

As I helped my parents load up their entire life into a 53' semitrailer, I found myself running on adrenaline. Just keep going, there will be time to rest later. And then I had moments where I knew a short break would be worth it to make sure I had more energy built up to keep moving on.

There were moments of sadness, like watching my friend Jill Dodds crying while she struggled to get her parents moved out of their home in the dunes. There weren't enough hugs or words of encouragement to go around with the group of people shuffling between the two houses.

There were also moments of humor, like during a break, when the topic of conversation turned to my left foot, which I was unwrapping my ace bandage to put ice on it (new rule, don't play basketball against my oldest mini-me ever again). "Hey man, that's a pretty ugly foot, you probably need to go get another pedicure."

There were moments of anger. Like the frustration of knowing we couldn't load up the Dodds belongings for over 6 hours because the state patrol had shut off access to the neighborhood to all traffic other than the large dumptrucks bringing dirt to build the levee. Yes the levee was the most important piece of the puzzle, but if it ends up failing, God forbid, that is valuable time lost in getting people safely out of the dunes.

There were moments of gratitude to the core, like when I couldn't keep up with the text messages from total strangers who were trying to come help us out. People who didn't know us from Adam showed up and worked their asses off. For us. For nothing. Because that's what you do.

And there were moments of guilt. Like when I left last night at 8:30, knowing that the Dodds house wasn't completely done. But I was. My body and my brain and my soul couldn't take one more minute.

After experiencing this extreme range of emotions, I realized that it was a little bit like deja vu all over again. I worked at the crash site for United Flight 232 back in July, 1989. This was the same exact feeling, only 22 years later.

And in both of those instances, I found myself feeling so damn proud of my hometown. And if you are from Sioux City and don't feel that pride, I feel sorry for you, because it is something that doesn't just happen anywhere.

If you are going to force me to endure a major tragedy, Lord, please make sure I'm in Sioux City, Iowa when it happens. Because those tough people, they're the reason why I'll never forget where I came from.

Oh, and Walt, I did hug my mother before I left town.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Steve you write as brilliantly as you speak. Sioux City is truly a great place to be from. I moved back here to raise my family because it was better than the Florida Keys and New York City. 2 clients this week said: "I stayed here (after my divorce) because it's a good place to start over" and "I came here to get married in the Loess Hills." That says alot about us and this place. Memories of Flight 232 rekindle the spirit of current events...I agree. And yes, Walt would be proud. As a matter of fact, he'd be out there bagging sand too.

Anonymous said...

Steve, this blog made me cry...and it made me so proud of a town I never grew up in but wished I had.
G.

Heath said...

Steve, While I don't know you, I feel connected to you via Sioux City East High (I am the choir director there) and Walt, our beloved coach. Your blog clearly sums up how so many of us feel here in Siouxland. Neighbors helping neighbors, strangers lending strong arms and backs... It has buoyed my faith in humanity, and my pride in my great community. Growing up, I had little idea of what great things lay just south of my hometown of Sioux Falls, I am delighted to be fully vested in this community and to lend my back, arms, and my heart and soul to my friends, neighbors and my "new" friends and neighbors in Sioux City and the area. Thanks for so eloquently summing up how so many of us feel about this great city.... Do you need any more help? We can mobilize some kids if you need more help!

Life Under Construction said...

G - You're an honorary resident of Sioux City!

Heath - Thank you for the offer...we are good for now. Everything is out and my parents are evacuated.

Anonymous said...

Steve, As a member of the non-social media generation, I stood by in awe while you and Jill electronically planned and subsequently executed the move (en route) for your folks and my sister Joan and Tom. I met you for a minute during those crazy 48 hours when I came to move my mother's things. I don't think I told you how grateful I am to you, so please accept a delayed thanks--an inadequate word for a groundswell (ill-timed?) of appreciation. Don't you worry about Jill--she is tough as nails, and my hero. Now we wait and watch.
Cathy Nelson

Life Under Construction said...

Thanks is not necessary Cathy...it's what we do. And yes, I know Jill is tough as nails. She's a fighter, and that's why she was there fighting to get out everything of value.

IowaGal said...

THANK YOU for writing this! This is wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Hey lil bro,

This is your best blog yet and it tells the story of where WE came from. I am proud as well. Lindsey read this and said you are an amazing writer. I think you need to start freelance work for a newspaper.....a newspaper would be incredibly stupid to not! Just my opinion.

Love ya bro....praying for dry ground!

Jim

Cleo Hansen said...

From your (ex)not old???/// swim coach, thanks so much for sharing your blog. We have been hearing and seeing the news and devistation of the Siouxland area. We have been wondering about those we know who live at the Dunns. Have seen Ben Reinkings pics of his folks place, glad to hear your parents and the Dodds are out and safe. Now just pray our tons and tons of snow here in Colorado don't melt too quickly to add to the disaster. Enjoy reading your thoughts, please keep us informed.