An unnamed Texas woman, age 22, was rescued over the weekend after the devastating Guadalupe River floods swept her 20 miles over four hours before she eventually clung to a tree and cried for help. A Texas family saw her and helped initiate the rescue, Fox News reported Sunday, with what the network touted as “unbelievable video” of the moment caught on tape.
The Jeter family spoke to the news organization about the experience, which began while they were evacuating their own home. “We had not totally evacuated — our home as right on the river — but we’re 25 foot near … and floodwaters were rising,” patriarch Carl Jeter told Fox News. “I had gone about a half a block down the street where I could still watch, but was on dry land.”
More from TheWrap
Watch the news segment on the woman’s rescue via Fox News below:
“As soon as the water stopped rising and began to recede a little bit, I waded in, went up on my deck. And as I did, she spotted me, and she started to scream for help,” he continued. “At first I couldn’t locate her — I thought she was in the river itself going downstream … and then I finally was able to look across the river into the tree and I spotted her. So I began to call out to her and tell her that I see her. I got you, we’re going to get you some help. It’s going to be OK, just hang on.”
The woman told the outlet that she was separated from her family, who were still missing at the time of the report. Refrigerators and other debris in the water nearly took her under before she was saved.
The rescue effort involved “multiple teams,” Josh Jeter said. “There was a Swift Water Rescue from Bernie, Texas team that showed up, and then there were some Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens that showed up with boats as well.”
“We were able to help launch those boats by hand into the water for them to get in and rescue her,” he added. “It was just … you didn’t think about it, you just did what you needed to do to help them get into the water to save this young lady that’s clinging to life in a tree.”
At least 80 people, including dozens of young girls attending a summer camp in the area, died during the flash flood. Ten girls and one counselor from Camp Mystic are still unaccounted for.
Gov. Greg Abbott has also warned the state’s residents that more flash flooding is on the way.
Questions surrounding emergency readiness have been raised following the devastation. CNN reported officials in Kerr County previously debated installing flood warning sirens nine years ago (and again as recently as 2021) but failed to realize the plan. “We do not have a warning system,” Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said at a news conference Friday.
Watch Fox News’ interview with the Jeter family in the video above.
The post Texas Woman’s Flood Rescue Caught on Camera After Waters Swept Her 20 Miles | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
