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Mural, film commemorate Buffalo Creek Disaster

Photo from Logan Banner International mural artist Kevin Lido flew down from Montreal, Canada to muralize the old Clay Brothers building, one of the only few buildings still standing from pre-flood times.
Photo from Logan Banner
International mural artist Kevin Lido flew down from Montreal, Canada to muralize the old Clay Brothers building, one of the only few buildings still standing from pre-flood times.

BUFFALO CREEK — Kerry Chad Albright is somewhat of a “local celebrity.” Known as the Miracle Baby, Albright was only 9-months-old during the time of the Buffalo Creek Disaster. His mother, Sylvia Albright, and 18-year-old brother, Steven Albright, ran from their house after seeing the wall of water roaring down their hollow. Sylvia tossed Albright to higher ground to save his life. She and her teenage son didn’t survive.

In fact, the water had claimed 125 lives, injured another 1,100 and left over 4,000 people homeless.

Forty-two years after this horrific disaster, Albright, along with Poon Watchara-amphaiwan from Poontography and Joe Sciacchetano from Bitphoto LLC, is making a documentary about the flood.

As part of the documentary, the men flew international mural artist Kevin Lido down from Montreal, Canada to muralize the old Clay Brothers building (which now holds V&S hair salon). The building is one of the only few buildings still standing from pre-flood time.

“This guy just got finished doing a big project in Montreal that got over 15,000 likes on Facebook,” said Albright. “It’s an honor to have him come down and commemorate this for us.”

The mural, which is visible just as a person drives into Buffalo Creek, pictures rubble and ruin on one side, but on the other a mother clings to her baby as they flee the scene.

“I just wanted this to show the destruction that happened on that day, but to also show the hope that was there,” said Lido.

Lido started on the mural Tuesday afternoon…

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