Timothy Wheeler woke up to the gurgling of floodwaters Friday morning, and saw his Clayton Township home had become a lakefront property overnight.
He had water across his driveway and more - up to two feet - in his basement.
"Furniture, a lot of electronics, everything's floating, a lot of clothing,” Wheeler described.
Genesee County officials declared a state of emergency after the storms pummeled the area with more than 5 inches of rain Thursday evening.
In nearby Flint Township, a mother sighed over memories the deluge washed away.
"All my personal stuff, my son's baby stuff is down there, and i just know it's all ruined,” Julie Jajo said.
The basement door shows how high the water came. At one point it covered the bathroom and entertainment set.
Some people were still on the road when the flood waters swelled – creeping over major interstates during the morning rush – leaving truck drivers and commuters stranded on the sidelines. I-69 was closed until noon while I-75 remained closed through the afternoon.
Geary Brisco had to leave his Mustang in the water.
"Once it got so deep, I felt the car floating, so there was nothing I could do, and then I was stuck."
In Burton, a creek that wraps around Brent Ager's property just couldn't contain the rains.
It spilled over into his driveway, before completely giving way under the weight of his Chevy Blazer.
"As I was backing out, the whole bottom just dropped out,” Ager said.
"We've been the highlight of everybody coming out, taking pictures of the Blazer.”
Lucky the car didn't drop head first, Ager said. He hopes a good steam-cleaning will have it running again soon. But it won't be so simple for families who stood outside their homes in sheer awe of the serene floodwaters that the torrential rains left behind.
The Red Cross has opened a shelter at Bristol Road Church of Christ. Anyone who needs a place to stay the night is welcome.
