It was the best of times and the worst of times for Lane Anderson.

The day had finally arrived for the Tarboro woman’s marriage to Brett Taylor.

Her sister Lawson was in from Atlanta. Her grandparents, her godmother from Illinois and others were in town.

The only trouble was, Hurricane Floyd had arrived a couple days earlier and left much of Edgecombe County under water.

It left her parents, Tommy and Lawson Anderson miles away in Leggett.

Her father tried to find a route, up to Rich Square, over to Scotland Neck, but was stymied time after time. There was just too much water.

Brent and Sylvia Nash offered to go get them in a john boat, but had to turn back.

“It was one of the prettiest days we had had,” Tommy recalled. “The weather was beautiful, but there were islands everywhere. There was no way to get there from here.”

“Lane’s wedding dress was in Leggett,” said her mother, Lawson.

Lane remembers standing at Long Tractor on Main Street and crying.

“I lost it,” she said. “I was bawling.”

That’s when Brett looked at her and said, “All I know is I want to marry you.”

It was what Lane needed to hear and she quickly composed herself and headed toward Calvary Episcopal Church.

“A calm came over me,” she said.

About 100 people waded in ankle-deep water down Church and surrounding streets. Many came in barefooted. The water never actually got into the church.