The Luther family spent many summers in Johnstown. 

“My granddad on my mother’s side lived on Coal Street right up the hill from the gates to the mill there,” said Jim Luther.

He just 12-year-old in 1977. After a night of torrential rains his family woke up early, packed the car and started to head home.

“Going out of downtown you could see the extent of floods and you could see fire. Parts of Johnstown were burning that morning,” recalls Luther.

On the morning of July 20, many people had not realized the danger and devastation that was throughout the region.

Jim remembers being on a stretch of Route 56. His parents in the front seat and he was in the back with his older brother and younger sister.

Within a few minutes of leaving this grandfather’s house the road gave way.  What was once a small stream was not a killer river.

“I remember the car falling,” said Luther. “It seemed like a long time, but we fell for a while before it landed in the river.”

Luther remembers he and his dad being washed from the car. His older brother remained inside until the waters receded, but his mother and sister were missing.

The bodies of Mary Ann and Julie Luther were found days later.

Jim now lives in California and has only visited Johnstown a few times since that tragic vacation. He said because of our story he was able to reconnect with a few relatives.

“My father passed away last year and he had kept quite a bit of letters, conversations, and newspaper articles that I’ve seen for the first time.”

But Luther has yet to find the courage to read through them all.

Mary Ann and Julie Luther were the only victims of the flood who were not from Johnstown, but they will never be forgotten.