LYONS, Colo. (KDVR) — It’s been 10 years since devastating floods tore through northern Colorado, but the memory is fresh for those who were there. 

The memories are especially powerful for Ginger and Roy Palmeri, who dealt with some of the biggest highs and lows of their life in the span of just a few days.

At nine months pregnant, Ginger had to be evacuated by the National Guard, her water breaking just hours after reaching safety. Their son Rocco, was born the next day.

FOX31 spoke with the couple later that week, on Sept. 20, 2013, and caught up with them again on Thursday.

“It was just outrageous,” Ginger said. “It was almost like a dream.”

A father and mother and their son sit at a table
The Palmeri Family sits in Lyons, Colorado, on Sept. 14, 2023. (KDVR)

Passing the memory to a new generation

A decade later, the family still lives in Lyons. Rocco is now a fourth grader at Lyons Elementary.

After watching the FOX31 story from 2013, Rocco came away with a new appreciation for the power of the floods.

“I thought the flood was just like moving, like the river, but I just realized how crazy it was,” he said. “I didn’t realize it was so powerful, and it broke so much.”