Just over one month ago, Julia Janicki, fiance Alex Moyer, their baby Fiona and cat Bruce were evacuated from their home in Hay River that was in the path of May flooding.

They were separated by the circumstances.

Janicki, Fiona, and Bruce went to Fort Smith and stayed with friends while Moyer stayed behind to work at Hay RiverSA国际影视传媒檚 hospital.

They are now reunited in Hay River, minus Bruce, who is staying with family friends until the end of June while they calculate the damage caused by the floods, and the separation.

SA国际影视传媒淲e reunited on May 29, over two weeks since the evacuation. I flew back with Fiona on an 11-hour travel day,SA国际影视传媒� said Janicki. SA国际影视传媒淚 was nervous that after being away for so long and seeing so many different people, Fiona may be distant around Alex. But as soon as she saw him when he picked us up at the Hay River airport it was like no time had passed. She was so excited to be reunited with her daddy. I was also excited to be reunited, of course.SA国际影视传媒�

They returned to the basement suite they rented on Riverview Drive that flooded all the way up to the windows.

SA国际影视传媒淐oming home was hard. My landlord took me downstairs to see what remained of our place. It was surreal seeing the entire place as a shell of house, just studs and concrete when the last time I saw it it was perfectly intact, normal. It reminded me of that scene in the Titanic where they show images of how it looks in present time and then show flashbacks of what it looked like in its glory,SA国际影视传媒� said Janicki.

SA国际影视传媒淚 looked at the space in the far corner, stripped of the drywall, insulation and the flooring, still muggy and dank despite two weeks of restoration. And I had flashbacks to putting Fiona in her crib or playing with the starry mobile above the change table. All of that is gone. It made me sad going back into the space as the reality of what I lost started to really sink in.SA国际影视传媒�

Janicki wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 there for the cleanup, which was completed by volunteers, friends, the fire department, their landlords, and Moyer SA国际影视传媒� who was still working full-time and on call 24/7.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey worked their butts off,SA国际影视传媒� said Janicki. SA国际影视传媒淢y biggest takeaway was the unbelievable generosity we received and how humbling it was to accept this help. In addition to the crews of people who helped clean our home, we had friends in town who helped with laundry, storage of belongings and childcare. My friends and brother in Calgary inundated Fiona and I with donations. We were truly spoiled by what they offered us.SA国际影视传媒�

Janicki added that even SA国际影视传媒渢otal strangersSA国际影视传媒� offered their support.

SA国际影视传媒淪ometimes I forget this but people are kind of amazing,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

At the end of the month, the family will collect Bruce and head to to Regina to their new home.

Although they havenSA国际影视传媒檛 received word from their assessors, Janicki estimates they lost more than $10,000 of household items.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was overwhelming coming home and sorting through what had been salvaged, realizing a lot of it would have to go. But one of my biggest surprises was that my grandmotherSA国际影视传媒檚 paintings were mostly fine,SA国际影视传媒� she said, a

SA国际影视传媒淎fter the evacuation all I could think about was the state of her artwork. Everything else could be replaced. ISA国际影视传媒檇 made peace with the fact that ISA国际影视传媒檇 have to say goodbye to these paintings.SA国际影视传媒�

When she came home, she discovered that although the frames were destroyed, the artwork itself was unharmed.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was beyond relieved. It almost felt like she was sending me one last gift.SA国际影视传媒�