Robert Duffin
Creekside

Interview with Robert Duffin

Now we have Cook's salvage and Charlotte Pace's salvage resting in my garage, number 38. The fire officials came over and said to me, "Bob, we think that Charlotte's house is going to go and yours may be next. What do you want us to do?" It was an unexpected decision that I had to make because my home was originally a couple of hundred feet back from the river. I thought I was in absolutely in no danger. We moved most, not all, of the furniture out of my house.

While my furniture was being moved, about 3:00 in the afternoon, the fire department came to me and said, "Bob, you have 20 minutes to evacuate your home." I have to say that I went into a state of shock! I could not actually make a decision. I would pick something up and I wouldn't know what to to with it. If I had had my wits about me, I would have been able to salvage some of the very important personal and business records that have been lost. These folks salvaged when they could.

The fire department said, " You have five minutes more." At the end of the 20-minute period I felt some gentle hands on my shoulder. These hands were guiding me. The fireman said, "Bob, it is time to go." So I went. I went out the back gate and the fire department put the yellow ribbons around the home which made it completely off limits.

Time went on and nothing happened to my house. Along about 6:30 or 7:00 pm, I decided I needed a place to stay that night. I went over and got a hotel room on Bluff Street and stayed the night. The next morning I got up and had high hopes that my home had made it through the night. I called one of my friends, Laura, and asked her if my home was still standing. She said, "No, Bob, it went during the night.

Suddenly, I was completely homeless and helpless. When I arrived back at Creekside, I found my home had been totally destroyed except the kitchen area was still standing. There was nothing that could be done about that.

Other neighbors had lost their homes in the meantime. Mitch and Norma Price lost their home. Ann Jensen's home was damaged. Olson's home had been sucked away by the river. It was a very life-threatening situation, in my opinion. If anyone had been in those homes at the time they were swept into the river, they surely would have died. During the process, my little beagle dog, Mr. Jefferson, got out of my home and was trapped on a small ledge over by the Santa Clara River. The water was rushing and he didn't know what to do, but a fireman happened to see him. He reached down and rescued the little dog and saved his life. Lo and behold, Mr. Jefferson's picture was on the front page of The Deseret Morning News. He's a celebrity in the family!"

I received a call from wonderful friends, Curt and Lynn Kennedy, who also live at Creekside. They said, "Bob, our home is vacant and completely furnished." They have used it as a vacation home to get away from Sale Lake City. "You have a key. Use it. Go in the back door, and the home is ours to occupy as long as you need it." My needs were immediately met for shelter. I can never repay the graciousness of these friends.

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