Andrew Van Ginkel recalls terrifying flash flood in Rock Valley, Iowa
Andrew Van Ginkle's hometown of Rock Valley, Iowa was ravaged by flash flooding after torrential rains caused the Rock River to rapidly rise, with the force of the rushing river breaking a levee and spewing floodwaters into the city.
The situation began to unfold as relentless rain pounded northwestern Iowa during the day on June 21. That afternoon, sandbagging efforts began as it was clear that the river was rising, and by 8 p.m. evacuation orders were issued to residents most at risk of incoming floodwaters. By 10 p.m. the city closed traffic on all roads due to standing water, and by 1:20 a.m. the tornado sirens were activated to alert evacuations.
The evacuation zone rapidly expanded overnight and it was around 3 a.m. that the Van Ginkel home was included, with the 29-year-old Vikings linebacker telling Vikings.com that he heard stories of neighbors "who carried children though rushing water that reached waist and sometimes even chest level, seeking safety for their families."
Van Ginkel was in Minnesota but his wife, Sam, was in Rock Valley when the sirens sounded that night.
Around 3 a.m., Sam awoke in a guest bedroom to tornado sirens blaring an evacuation warning and a torrent of headlights heading up the hill toward her parents' house.
- Vikings.com
They're trying to get to higher ground, she realized.
"I went outside and someone told me, 'The levee broke.' "
Sam's mother and mother-in-law headed back to the Van Ginkel home to retrieve the family dog, as well as Sam and Andrew's vehicles that had been parked in the front lawn. They also attempted to salvage what they could of sentimental items that had been stored in the basement.
"They tried to save some of the kids' baptism certificates and cards, and pictures that we had," Andrew noted. "Things you've worked so hard for and you're proud of. Things like diplomas, or items you can't replace that you've kept over a lot of the years. A lot of my high school things. Photos with some of my high school teammates, my high school photographs and all that good stuff were basically ruined."
"We got the boys' memory boxes," Sam added. "But my mom was walking through waist-deep water. That's when it was like, 'OK, this is really, really bad. We can't make another trip.' "
Approximately 1,500 residents were displaced because of the dramatic flooding, and it wasn't until July 3 that the City of Rock Valley lifted its boil water advisory due to fears of contaminated drinking water.
Van Ginkel and his former Miami Dolphins teammate, Zach Seiler, have set up a page for donations to help families – many of whom were without flood insurance – recover from total losses. You can see the donation site here.
Van Ginkel was a star quarterback at Rock Valley Community School before attending the University of South Dakota and Iowa Western Community College before two years with the Wisconsin Badgers. He signed with the Vikings in free agency earlier this year and is expected to be a starting linebacker when the season opens in September against the Giants.
JOE NELSON