As cleanups and damage assessments on Butler's west side began in earnest Thursday morning, residents began to share stories of how they weathered a vicious thunderstorm and flash flood that inundated homes and businesses with water and mud Wednesday night.

Some residents of the neighborhood that includes West Brady Street said they couldn't even return home late Wednesday as flood water raged, moving cars and swamping homes near Sullivan Run in the city.

Leah and Aaron Kobert, of 515 W. Brady, were driving home from a relative's house Wednesday night when they found a wall of water — or a lake; it depends on whom you ask — waiting for them.

The Koberts couldn't drive through the waters, so they pulled into the parking lot of nearby Family Video to decide what to do next. Ultimately Leah — worried about her car and whether their home was in danger — decided to make for their house on foot.

What started out as a walk through waist-high water however, quickly became a dangerous swim through debris-choked floodwaters

“I was swimming through it. Swimming,” she said. “The water's just coming and coming — the next thing you know, cars (are) getting washed away. I never seen nothing like it in my life.”