WACO, Texas — Choosing between life or death was an actual reality for a woman in Waco while inside her SUV on Sunday when it was being swirled and swept away by rising flood waters.
Watch the full story:
Inside that Jeep was 68-year-old Carla Donaldson.
She told 25News' Bobby Poitevint that flood waters carried her vehicle several blocks.
“I really thought — is it be better to drawn in my car or to get swept down… because the water was so strong" she said, and added, “I was honestly thinking I was about to be pulled away and drown.”
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“This guy named Larry just came out of nowhere. He saw me and just jumped into action and then all of a sudden I hear Larry say, 'I’ve got you, I’ve got you" she said.
Other bystanders also jumped into the rising, swift flood waters on Sunday to help, including father David Sanchez.
His daughter Britani Estrada filmed the video you saw in the story.
A garden hose can be seen used in the rescue.
“I was scared — but I really only cared about helping the lady that was inside the car" said David.
Carla eventually was able to escape through her driver window.
She said the whole ordeal lasted well over an hour.
Her Jeep was left damaged and barely resting on pedestrian steps at SJ Guthrie Park.
“I’m just thankful that it hit this embankment here or whatever it is because that’s what actually I think saved my life because I see a power pole there if I’d hit that and all those lines came down on me....I don’t even like to think about that" she said.
But she’s thankful to be out of the eye of storm and to live to see another day.
Carla added, “I would not be here if it wasn’t for them.”
She was not alone in a fight to stay alive that night.
Waco firefighters say they responded to at least 21 water rescues during Sundays flooding.
