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WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. () — Flooding and mudslides caused devastation across many Southern California neighborhoods, both emotionally and financially.
In San Bernardino County, one man has to restore his home after it was nearly wiped out. The survivor had lived in his home for decades, but now, he’s ankle-deep in mud.
Video shows the dirty disaster inside Paul Prindle’s home near Wrightwood.
Heavy rains sent a muddy river of water down the mountain, invading every room.
Prindle’s daughter, Larissa Jackson, told Eyewitness News he was able to escape without getting trapped.
“I feel this would be a different situation if he wasn’t [OK]. Forget the house. I know that’s his, but that can be rebuilt. I’m his only kid. He’s my only dad. I just want to hug him. I just want to be there for him,” Jackson said. “I don’t know how I would be OK if I lost him.”
Prindle’s roommates struggled to get out.
Dramatic video on social media of water rushing through the house, with the roommates on the roof, is how Jackson, who lives in Texas, first learned her father’s home had been impacted by this holiday winter storm.
“I was like, ‘Oh my god. I recognize that porch,’ and that’s when I started panicking,” Jackson said. “We’ve never seen anything like that, ever.”
First responders were able to rescue Prindle’s roommates.
Days after the storm, the scale of the damage is heartbreaking.
“This is the first time I am seeing it in the daylight. So, it’s bad,” said Janelle Hall from Phelan.
Video from the Wrightwood neighborhood shows mud-buried cars and covered streets. In some parts of the Inland Empire, roads were impassable.
Some neighbors remained without power as crews worked to bring life back to the community and a sense of hope.
For Jackson, that includes launching a GoFundMe to restore her dad’s home of more than 20 years.
“He’s devastated and heartbroken,” Jackson said. “I just hope that people understand that, like, I know times are tough when it comes to money, I understand that, but just sharing it, the more people that share it, the bigger the reach. It could make all the difference.”
Prindle’s home is in an area that was scarred by a wildfire last year. The community is now receiving state and local resources.
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