Aberdeen woman loses house to mudslide, cats still missing
ABERDEEN, Wash. -- In Aberdeen, this week's heavy rain caused a home to slide down a hillside.
The homeowner was able to get out, but her cats are still missing and the place has now been condemned.
The torrential rains came down the hill and washed away part of the slope near Sharon Stanley's home. The house could still slide further, and Stanley is worried her cats might still be inside.
"I didn't hear a thing," Stanley said.
With her love for the color purple and her outgoing personality, Stanley is a colorful figure in the community. But this week's storm darkened her day.
"I opened my front door and the sidewalk was that much higher than my driveway and I thought maybe we'd had an earthquake or something," she said.
The 75-year old longtime Grays Harbor bus driver was recently forced to retire. She also had treatment for skin cancer, and now she's dealing with this.
"I think I must have done something really bad in my past life or something," she said.
But Stanley said none of that matters right now. All she's concerned with is getting her cats, Callie and Spice, out of the house.
Aberdeen mayor Bill Simpson even came out to offer his support.
"We'll do what we can to help her," Simpson said.
The city won't stand in her way if Stanley wants to risk going in the house herself, but she can no longer live there.
Thanks to the Red Cross, Stanley is now staying at a local motel, but it's unclear if her insurance will cover any of this.
The homeowner was able to get out, but her cats are still missing and the place has now been condemned.
The torrential rains came down the hill and washed away part of the slope near Sharon Stanley's home. The house could still slide further, and Stanley is worried her cats might still be inside.
"I didn't hear a thing," Stanley said.
With her love for the color purple and her outgoing personality, Stanley is a colorful figure in the community. But this week's storm darkened her day.
"I opened my front door and the sidewalk was that much higher than my driveway and I thought maybe we'd had an earthquake or something," she said.
The 75-year old longtime Grays Harbor bus driver was recently forced to retire. She also had treatment for skin cancer, and now she's dealing with this.
"I think I must have done something really bad in my past life or something," she said.
But Stanley said none of that matters right now. All she's concerned with is getting her cats, Callie and Spice, out of the house.
Aberdeen mayor Bill Simpson even came out to offer his support.
"We'll do what we can to help her," Simpson said.
The city won't stand in her way if Stanley wants to risk going in the house herself, but she can no longer live there.
Thanks to the Red Cross, Stanley is now staying at a local motel, but it's unclear if her insurance will cover any of this.
Poor Sharon! She was my bus driver when I was in middle school. Always such a sweet lady.
She was able to get her cats out!! They are safe, but the family still needs to find new shelter, and a new home :-( I hope Problem Solvers can help her! I haven't heard anything else about this story, and I'm a little disappointed that Problem Solvers hasn't already started an effort for her!
Wish I lived closer, I'd love to try and catch those cats, I know I could do it.Â
I've known Sharon since I was in diapers. She used to buy me lunch when I was homeless, and let me ride the bus on cold days along her route with her. This woman is so warm, friendly, loving, and just an all around amazing person. I have always loved her house and her landscaping, and it made me sad to see her home is now condemned. I hope and pray that there is something to be done to help her deal with the loss of her home so close to the holidays.
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Sharon drove the local Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) bus in Grays Harbor County. It was common to see any bus she drove adorned with purple decorations and adorable little stuffed animal. Some holidays, you could find window clings on the windows of her bus too! When I think of the good things on the Harbor, she is among the first things that come to mind.
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Happy holidays Sharon, my family is praying for you and hoping things work out and that your cats are safe and unharmed by this tragic event... Love you lady!!
It would be great to start up donations for her! She seems like a wonderful lady! And I hope she finds her cats!
Is there any way to reach out to her, whether just with words or through donations? I live across the globe in Croatia but I am genuinely moved by this story.
I've ridden on her bus (The Grays Harbor Transit #40) many times during my long trips from Kent/Federal Way to Montesano and Aberdeen, to visit friends in those areas. She is very sweet! She always had stuffed animals hanging off the bars of the bus she bought and owned from GH Transit (but used on her routes). She was one of the more unique bus drivers I ever met! I hope she can get her cats and other valuables out of her house before it gets swallowed up by mother nature. I wish I was in a position to where I can get down there and help her out!
I have to admit that when I saw the picture and read the byline this morning my first thought was that the media is taking another opportunity to make fun of us hicks out in Aberdeen. Then I read the story and read the comments. It was surprising and gratifying to see a story that was unbiased and caring, and to read the heart warming comments posted here. I don't know Sharon personally, but she seems like a wonderful person who deserves any and all help that this story will generate. Thanks to those of you who are capable of not judging by appearance (like I did originally) and showing compassion where it is needed.
It was so common to see her with purple, or green, or blue hair. Wild make up, lots of purple, and her trademark rat tail!!! She is definitely one of a kind, and truly an amazing woman !
Those purple eyebrows are just wrong so, wrong.
LOL But they are SO Sharon! If you knew her, you would understand :-)
I believe somebody at Grays Harbor Transit is going to try and set up a bank account for donations. You could send them there with her name and they would get to her. My understanding is there was a heavy rain clause on her home insurance so" no coverage"..
This lady would help anyone and has, now she needs some help herself!
I was googling about trying to find out if she got her cats out, and where the donation fund is set up, if any, and wound up seeing that crazy Courtney Stoddard, posing provocatively behind a colorful turkey cutout. (Why isn't KOMO reporting on that fast-breaking news anymore?) stupid google
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Has anyone found out any more about how to help this lady? I guess I could give something to her local red cross, but would rather help directly. I know there are people in even worse predicaments that the Red Cross is helping, and I have never met Sharon Stanley (I;m sure I would remember that) - I just like her already. Â And I get the impression that she is probably pretty tough and will bounce back from her current troubles.
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You are very right about that--- She is one tough chick!!
Sharon, I hope that someday people say such nice things about me too! You are obviously loved and I hope that things work our for you. I'll say a prayer for you. :)
purple eyebrows?
 @seattlenativemike I KNOW! I'm sure this lady is a sweetheart but I couldn't pay attention to anything but her purple eyebrows(during her interviews on TV). I wonder if it was a fashion statement sometime ago and she just stuck with it. Or maybe she just loves purple. Either way, it made me wonder how purple eyebrows would look on me.Â
 @seattlenativemikeÂ
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Yep. And?
I haven't seen her since she was on that one TV show with Adam West and Burt Ward.
Would someone please go to Aberdeen and get Grandma her dang cats?
Beauty comes from within and this woman shines. Hoping she can gets her furbabies safely. There are many out there that would only think of themselves and abandon their pets (just look at how many abandon their pets due to hurricane Sandy) but this woman is a model pet parent doing everything she can to save her cats. Can the fire department or somone help her? Here's hoping someone has set up an account for her. KOMO, what about your "Problem Solvers" account? For all she has given she should now be on the receiving end.
Why does this lady have purple eyebrows?
She's also had purple hair, green hair, blue hair, pink hair, you name it! She is very expressive with her appearance, always has been, and she is ever more beautiful for not being afraid to be unique!
 @Harry reems she has them purple because she is fond of the colour and wants to display her fondness by showing it....she's a lovely woman and one who is not afraid to express who she is and be who she is. some might label her a freak, but i label her as genuine and brave.
My first thought is why wouldn't her insurance cover this? The house was not flooded, it was destroyed from a mudslide. Seems like home insurance is becoming like healthcare was becoming in regard to what they will and will not cover. They'll find any reason to not cover you unless you pay extra for it like flood or earthquake insurance. It's a bunch of bull.
 @ObsidianOne I feel sorry for this lady but if read an insurance policy mudslide is not a covered peril.  Home  insurance doesn't cover EVERYTHING.  Everyone should read their insurance policy and see what is covered and what is not.  People would be surprised. Â
She's a pretty nice lady, and a very colorful character. Met her a few times. Sorry to hear of her troubles.
 Why doesn't KOMO let us know where we can send donations to help this poor women? To have something like this happen right before the holidays, not to mention losing your home and worrying about your cats. I don't want to send the money to the Red Cross because I want it all to go towards her survival, if there isn't a fund set up I wish KOMO or someone would organize one for her. God bless you Ms Stanley, just remember, sometimes bad things happen to good people and the good thing about being at the bottom is you have no where to look but up. -my Aunt used to say that. Hang in there old girl and don't give up hope, I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who want to help, me included.
@joefuss, you are a sweet person!
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@robmo You are mean! You can think ugly, but there is no need to put it in writing!
@mustang sally I apologize. Humor fail!
@robmo Sometimes the written word can be not so funny; need to see the person's face and tone of voice to get the humor. Guess someone deleted your comment because it's gone. Have a nice day.
I hope Sharon gets the cats and insurance covers the home. At 75 and with cancer she doesn't need any more stress. Sharon you are beautiful and an inspiration!Â
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When I am an old woman I shall wear purple With a red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me. And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter. I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells And run my stick along the public railings And make up for the sobriety of my youth. I shall go out in my slippers in the rain And pick the flowers in other people's gardens . . .
 @Northend I would love to frame this and put it on my wall so I could look at it everyday!
Why should we wait until we're older? Let's do it now! :)
 @JUSTONEPROUDMOM Purple is a famous Poem. Here's the rest.Â
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When I am an old woman I shall wear purple With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me. And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter. I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells And run my stick along the public railings And make up for the sobriety of my youth. I shall go out in my slippers in the rain And pick flowers in other people's gardens And learn to spit. You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat And eat three pounds of sausages at a go Or only bread and pickle for a week And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes. But now we must have clothes that keep us dry And pay our rent and not swear in the street And set a good example for the children. We must have friends to dinner and read the papers. But maybe I ought to practice a little now? So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.
Jenny Joseph
@Northend, take me too! Is there room for my little dachshund to come along? ;)Â
@Northend - can I come with you? Sounds fabulous! giggle... :)
@Northend Beautiful!
I hope she gets both kitties back safe and sound and that things do work out for her!
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You can tell just by looking at her that she's probably a very genuine, kind person. I actually really like the eyebrows, too!
She is certainly a colorful lady.
Oh sweetie, I hope this all turns out good for you.
So sorry to hear about her cats! I hope she finds them safe and sound. Just reading all the posts gives me the feeling that this is one magnificent lady! I hope it all turns around for her! And there is nothing wrong with Purple eyebrows....she is just being true to herself..more people should be like that!
This is a very sad story, but her kindness and gentle nature shine through. She is a beautiful person inside and out.Â
Ahhh, that is just sad. To lose your home and have your furbabies end up too scared to leave! Sad. She seems to be in positive spirits despite the poor situation, though.
@SouthofSeattle My guess the cats are just scared and will surface soon from under the rubble. Cats have a real knack of survival. Hoping for the best for this lady and her pets.
Mam- If you are reading this story please ignore those who are to ignorant to look past what they think is "normal" and "beautiful". YOU are beautiful, vibrant, and sound like a wonderful person. Thank you for not being afraid to show who you are and what you love. I hope your get your cats back safe and sound and that the insurance company does the right thing and helps you.Â
This woman is one of the sweetest people you could ever want to me and would help anyone. Â She was one of the best drivers Grays harbor Transit had for many, many years.
Is there a fund set up somewhere to help her that we can donate too.
Wow...what a cool idea !! Â Love her eyebrows..! Â I know everything will work out for this lady.Â