Tragedy After Tragedy: Family Hit By Flood After Stillbirth
BARNUM, Minn. (WCCO) -- In the midst of the Northland historic flooding, one Barnum, Minn. family was hit harder than most, and had to fight off one tragedy after another.
When the Moose Horn River flowed over its banks, it poured more pain on the Barber family. The water filled Barnum City Park as well as the first two levels of Rich and Shallon Barber's home.
Flood water was actually pouring out of the living room windows.
The markings on the wall that measured the Barber kids as they grew also shows how high the water got inside the 100-year-old home.
"We don't have much in this life, but this was, you know, this was ours. Now, you wonder, where do you go from here?" Rich Barber said.
The family was hit with another tragedy just a day before. After carrying a child for close to nine months, Shallon Barber had a stillbirth.
"Having a still born on Tuesday morning and then flooding on Wednesday, it's just too much," said Shallon Barber.
"My wife notices the baby wasn't moving like he should have been and the next day is when the rain came and we lost the baby that night they did a C-section. He was stillborn. We lost Spencer and the next day we lost the house," Rich Barber said.
Now, during this entire cleanup, there is also a funeral that needs to be planned.
"This Saturday at three o'clock at the local church, Methodist church will be having a service for Spencer, "Rich Barber said.
Although the Barber's home sits about 100 feet away from the Moose Horn River, they did not have flood insurance because they were told that where they live is not in a flood zone.
Rich Barber is a shift supervisor at the prison in Moose Lake and Shallon is a stay-at-home mom. So, with bills piling up from the hospital, this flash flood and now a funeral to pay for, they do not know what their next move will be.
If you'd like to help the Barbers, you can send the donations to the Barnum Methodist Community Church:
P.O. Box 70
3762 Front St.
Barnum, Minn. 55707
