EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — After a week of battling flash flooding, Terry Barnes and her husband have had enough.
"It's been rough," said Terry.
"I am exhausted both mentally and physically," said Carl Barnes.
Last Tuesday, record rainfall fell on their neighborhood near 53rd Street and Belmont in East St. Louis.
Knee-high water flooded their front and backyards and their basement.
A few days later, raw sewage backed up in their toilet.
"Water was seeping in and from there it was all downhill," said Carl Barnes.
And on Wednesday, more rain.
Now, the flood-weary couple isn't taking any chances.
Carl spent the afternoon taping a thick tarp to their basement door and stacking several sandbags there as well.
"Hopefully keeping as much water out as possible and keeping our home dry, that's all we want," said Carl Barnes.
"We're just trying to get everything on higher ground from the basement to the first floor," said Terry Barnes.
Just blocks away, help is now on the way.
A truckload of nearly 100 cases of water and boxes of sanitizing wipes, paper towels and other toiletries were all delivered Wednesday afternoon to the Community Lifeline.
The faith-based group is helping 50 East St. Louis families hit hard by the recent floods.
McDonald's franchise owner and East St. Louis native Jimmy Williams and his wife also donated $10,000 to help flood victims recover.
"I am excited to recover the donations for our community. We would like to just take this time to thank Mr. Jimmy and Janice for this opportunity to receive these donations," said Wyvetta Granger, the Executive Director of Community Lifeline.
Back on 53rd Street, Carl Barnes hopes they receive a break from mother nature.
"Fingers crossed and prayers that our efforts will all work," said Carl Barnes.