40 of My Favorite Memories – Vol 8 The 97 Flood and the McMuffin

There are certain moments that you never forget. I have been on the radio for many of those over my 30 year career. I was on the air when the 9/11 attacks occurred and that is one day that will stay with me forever. Another one of those was the Spring Creek Flood of 97 in Fort Collins. It was a horrible tragedy but I felt something wonderful through that ordeal that has never left me.

It was July 28 of 1997 when the Spring Creek Flood rocked Fort Collins and the effects were felt all over our area. This one came suddenly and the damage was quite devastating for many. There were businesses and residents who lost everything. I remember talking on the air the following day and discussing how we were going to need to help raise some money for all of those who lost so much from the surging waters. We were thinking about those who now had no where to lay their heads and then my heart was filled with the kindness of a listener.

A friend named Larry, who was one of those folks who had suffered great loss from the flood, showed up at the radio station. He was bringing us breakfast sandwiches from McDonald's as a thank you for covering the flood and keeping everyone informed. Here this guy had just lost so much but still had it in his heart to use his hard earned money to buy us breakfast. We were trying to figure out how to raise money to help people who were so kind they were still giving when they should've be receiving. It is just another example of the kind of humanity we are blessed to be surrounded by in Northern Colorado. I will never forget Larry and his kind gesture and I still call Larry a friend to this day. We bonded over a flood and a McMuffin and that bond will never break.