Family spent months living in camper after flood

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    BEAVERTON, Michigan (WNEM) — Some families affected by the flooding were forced to find any means of housing, whether that meant a hotel or a camper.

Last year, TV5 talked to a family who was forced to live in an RV.

“It’s terrible. It is. It’s very sad. We used to have so many people enjoying this lake up here. And now there’s nothing,” said Tina Talkington, Beaverton resident.

After the Edenville Dam failed last year, what used to be Wixom Lake is covered in weeds up to your waist.

For those who see this sight every day, it’s still unreal.

“It’s been a weird year without the lake and without our house. So, we really had to learn to adapt to a new way of living,” Tina Talkington said.

Tina and Brian Talkington spent months living in a camper. Their home had to be gutted from water damage.

Thanks to the help of the community, this Beaverton couple is pulling through.

“It’s been awesome the help we’ve gotten,” Tina Talkington said.

The Talkington’s pole barn has been repaired. That means they have been able to set up a little apartment area where they can stay as their home is remodeled.

“They’re painting it. They’re all painting it,” Brian Talkington said.

Their home has come a long way since the summer. They hope it’ll be finished by fall. The lake will take longer.

“We heard it may not be back until 2026. And that’s a long time,” Brian Talkington said.

They are willing to wait for the crystal-clear waters to return.

“We would be on our pontoon today,” Brian Talkington said.

Hopefully, they will be on one on the lake in the future.

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