Appliances can be replaced, not so a prized photo

Charles A. Riley witnessed a lot of destruction during the Flood of 2006.

But when he described it, only one thing made him cry.

Riley, 76, had to leave his longtime home on Morrison Court, near downtown Methuen, and stay with his daughter, because the raging Spicket River inundated his basement.

When he returned, the basement was ruined -- his clothes washer and dryer, water heater, and air conditioner all destroyed by the flood, which left more than 5 feet of water in his home.

But it was damage to an old photograph that mattered the most.

The photo was of his late father, Charles J. Riley, and the men he served with during World War I.

``He was in the Army's medic corps, and he was with his entire company," Riley said of the cherished photo, which was damaged beyond repair.

Fighting back tears, he continued, ``Other than that, I'll survive this."

CHRISTINE McCONVILLE