Sophia Tassaras, who tutors children in Greek, loves all things Greek. But, friends say, she’s also quite a home body, someone more inclined to read The Odyssey than undertake one of her own.
This past weekend, Tassaras found herself in an adventure that seemed more biblical than mythological.
Most of the time, Tassaras’ modest little ranch house on River Oaks Drive in River Forest is less than a block away from the Desplaines River. Sunday, though, it was much closer-river water inside her attached garage, lapping at the steps leading to her home’s mud room, just a few feet away from her living room.
Late Sunday afternoon, Tassaras stood inside the garage with a mop in hand. Wednesday Journal photographer Josh Hawkins captured Tassaras attempting to sweep away the flood waters, then standing pensively behind a row of sand bags as the flood waters slowly crept upwards. Neighbors tried to get her to leave, but she wouldn’t.
“She really didn’t want to leave,” said Ted Lagios
But as darkness began to fall, others insisted Tassaras had no choice. Unfortunately, by 7 p.m. her block had been transformed into more of a lake than a neighborhood, and she was cut off. When Ted Lagios, the father of two of Tassaras’ students heard about Sophia’s predicament, he immediately went over in his SUV. But the water was already too deep.
Ted thought of his buddy, Craig Flagg, who owns a kayak, and gave him a call. Flagg was all game.
“I said, let’s go,” said Flagg. “We loaded the kayak on his SUV, drove over and dropped it in the water.
Tassaras was still unwilling to abandon her home.
“That house of hers is her life. It’s what she knows,” said Ted’s wife, Lisa.
“We had to talk to her a little bit, but we got her out,” said Ted.
Tassaras was just a tad nervous about the unorthodox manner of leaving home, especially the prospect of getting wet.
“She said, don’t tip it, don’t tip it,” recalled Flagg.
On Monday, Lisa Lagios said Sophia was OK, if a little shaken.
“She’s good, just a little scared,” said Lisa. “She wants to get back in her house.
Luckily, the reluctant refugee is staying with two of her young students, George and Athena.
“The kids are keeping her busy and trying to keep her mind off things,” said Lisa. Still, Tassaras wants to go back home. Ted Lagios said they’ll take her back “whenever the water comes down.”
“She’ll go back if she can get through in big boots,” said Lisa, adding that Sophia will likely enjoy her trip back home much more than the trip out.
“I plan to drive her over,” she said.
-Bill Dwyer
