Six months after historic flooding devastated Milwaukee's north side, many families continue living with extensive damage and lingering uncertainty about their future.The August floodwaters from Lincoln Creek tore through the ne ighborhood near 61st and Lawn, filling basements, destroying homes and forcing families to evacuate to safety. Today, vacant homes, exposed foundations and debris still line the streets as a stark reminder of the disaster's lasting impact.For Mike Gilbert, a veteran whose home was among those damaged, the flooding came at an already devastating time in his life."My wife had passed away July 15th. You know, three weeks later the major flood. So, you know, all in all, it was a pretty painful three weeks, six weeks," Gilbert said. When I first met Gilbert in August, he was grieving, displaced, and uncertain about his next steps. Six months later, that uncertainty persists for many residents in the area.Watch: Milwaukee flood survivors still rebuilding 6 months later Milwaukee flood survivors still rebuilding 6 months later"The house is gone waiting on a short sale. I was able to get some monies from FEMA. I was able to fix the front wall, the basement wall, and that's about it," Gilbert said.While federal assistance helped cover cleanup costs and some basic repairs, Gilbert says it fell short of addressing the full scope of damage to his home. "It was assistance, enough to fix the basement wall, clean out the house. But that's about it. There's some major renovation that will have to happen that I can't afford to do," Gilbert said.Beyond financial support, Gilbert believes the community needs greater attention from local leaders."It'd be nice for politicians to come around and maybe knock on the door or generate a block party for people that are still here just something light," Gilbert said.Despite the challenges, Gilbert has found perspective through his losses, focusing on gratitude rather than material possessions. Gilbert says hes found new love and a renewed sense of stability while still honoring the memory of his late wife, who remains close to his heart. "Thank God be grateful that you wake up every morning. Material things are just material things," Gilbert said.While some residents like Gilbert have begun to rebuild their lives, many neighbors continue facing a long road to recovery with limited resources and ongoing uncertainty about their community's future.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip ...read more read less