Hero Slices Open Sinking Miata, Saves Drowning Woman and Dog
Dramatic car rescue in flood-ravaged Louisiana caught on video.
Between all the grousing about Suicide Squad and whatever Donald Trump said this week, there’s a chance you haven’t heard about the horror unfolding in southern Louisiana. In Baton Rouge, and surrounding areas, flood waters have crested historic highs, the result of a shocking 24-hour weather swing that brought 21 inches of rain. Municipalities began declaring states of emergency Thursday; on Sunday, Governor John Bel Edwards requested a major federal disaster declaration. Cars, schools, businesses, churches, and homes are destroyed, and some 5,000 citizens are now displaced in shelters. People are missing. Three are already confirmed dead.
Drivers being swept away by water, then drowning inside the vehicle, isn’t uncommon during Gulf floods. So the Louisiana National Guard, and scores of local volunteers, are out performing vehicular rescues. One such effort was captured on video by an ABC local news affiliate, and posted to Facebook on Saturday. It shows a man, later identified as David Phun, boarding a sinking Mazda Miata, cutting open the fabric roof, rescuing an older woman trapped inside, and then going underwater a second time to save the woman’s dog, which was also trapped inside.
Faith in humanity restored.
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People need your help. The United Way of Southeast Louisiana is now accepting donations to assist the thousands of victims from this historic flood. School supplies for local children displaced by the event can be sent to the offices of Senator Ryan Gatti.
