Families return to flooded homes in Taylor

The Memorial Day storms also caused significant damage north east of Austin. In Taylor about 70 families returned to flooded homes.

The flood waters have receded in Taylor -- but for Annette Mackey and her family the heartache caused by the Memorial Day storms remains.

"Tears me up, we have nothing, I worked so hard to get all this by myself and I have nothing, have nothing ...," said Mackey.

Annette Mackey lives in a housing complex on the southeast part of town. Monday evening most of it was underwater. In some spots the water was chest high. Several of locations in Taylor also flooded and officials identified 68 homes as being damaged.

Tuesday - several residents returned to salvage what they could. Joseph Salazar and his family do not have much -- except their lives. They were saved by a police officer who fought a strong current that had jammed their front door.

"We were able to crack it, and eventually pull it back a little bit and handed the kids to the police, the woman, and assured us everything was going to be ok," said Salazar.

There were more rescues by local authorities. But some heroics were also done by neighbors.

"Gerald Mason came up to me and said mam do you want me to go and get him, and I said, baby there are snakes in that water."

Despite that warning, Debra Tyson says the young man and his brother went in the water to save her 70 year old cousin.

"And they couldn't get the door open and they pulled him out of the window. And the young guy put him on his back and brought him to safety, that was such a heroic act I just broke down and cried," said Tyson.

Kristine and Joe Garcia didn't wait for help to arrive Monday afternoon. As the water got higher they grabbed their 4 sons and headed for higher ground.

"I had one on my back, and went back to grab the other one," said Kristina Garcia.

Trouble was not limited just to residential areas. Small creek beds became rivers like the one that shut down Hwy 79. A popular restaurant by the airport was also over run by high water.

Aquarius White and her 4 year old daughter believe the water marks left behind by the storm on the walls of so many homes in Taylor will eventually fade away --- and they will find a way to bounce back.

"God by my side I can start over, may be, everything happens for a reason ... For a reason, so it might be better," said White.

The city is wrapping up a damage assessment. A cost estimate for repairs has not yet been done.

City officials ask residents to take storm debris to one of two city drop off sites. Curbside pickup on garbage day is allowed but the debris must be neatly stacked and cannot be longer than 4 feet.