Flash Flood

Re “School Mourns 3 Killed in Flash Flood,” Dec. 2:

A quarter-century ago, that incident almost occurred to me and a few of my classmates in the Alhambra Wash. We made it out alive by getting to that ladder before the water swept us away. Four of us were on the wrong side of the water, a good distance away from the ladder. One of us spotted the water rushing about 200 yards/meters upstream and we ran for it! We were on the wrong side so we crossed the slower water slowly; as each made it he ran for ladder. I went last since I was the fastest. We looked back down and saw water raging by.

I know my classmates and all other classes of San Gabriel High School express our sympathies to the families and classmates of those lives lost. We lived to tell about it, they did not. But I am certain they would like to tell their classmates, like I told mine, at our 20th class reunion in ‘93: “Learn as if you know you will live forever; live as if you know you will die tomorrow”--John Wooden.

GEORGE GUEVARA JR.

San Gabriel