NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Major flash flooding struck the northern metro area nine years ago this week. Nashville’s Office of Emergency Management responded to more than 200 calls for help during the event. 

August 8, 2013, was a day that many families lost everything. However, for the Marlins, it’s not about what they lost, but rather what they still have. 

“Looking back it makes me upset. It makes me cry, but then I’m thankful because we are alive,” Rebecca Marlin explained. 

It was a terrifying matter of minutes for the Marlins, rushing to safety with their two children, the youngest just five weeks old and the oldest four years old on that morning of 2013, when the family woke to water flowing into their home. 

“I think there was six to nine inches of rain within an hour in that one pocket and that was it, it was just too overwhelming,” Marlin reflected. 

She and her husband raced to get their little ones to the attic of their Madison home. 

“We were sitting there in the attic on the phone with 911 watching all of our stuff just float around in our house and we had nowhere to go. We couldn’t do anything. We could hear the house creaking so it was so scary.”

The Marlins knocked out part of the attic and swung a towel through the hole to let the fire department know they needed rescuing. 

“They came out and rescued us one by one, like tugged us through the water,” she said. 

It was tense moments News 2 captured every step of while Marlin prayed. 

“It was please protect my baby, please make sure they are safe. Please just don’t let anything happen to them.” 

On the other end of the rope, the Marlins were left with only what mattered most, each other. Their baby, Lauren, started 4th grade this week and the toddler, Jeremiah, began 8th grade. The nightmare is now a chapter in the family’s book that’s only made them stronger while praising their faith in God for another day.

“You know, we may not be here and my babies may not be here. Something could have went wrong, but I’m glad he was here to protect us. He casts peace and comfort over my heart and he’s lifted us up over the years and ya know we are moving forward, that’s all we can do,” explained Marlin. 

Nearly 10 years later, the Marlins continue to recover today from the devastation. Their home on Gibson Drive has since been torn down and they started their lives over in Cheatham County.