As floodwaters left behind by Hurricane Milton’s rampage through Florida began to rise, one mother and her family were in a dire situation. Amber Henry and her four children ages 4, 5, 9 and 10 were trapped in flood waters from Wednesday night until Thursday morning, but they were saved by a local television news crew, PEOPLE reports.
Henry recounted calling 911 “for hours,” while speaking to CNN, but stated that emergency responders couldn’t reach her and her children because of the hazardous conditions. She also added that her specific area of residence was ordered to shelter in place.
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“I even called officials and they told me it was not a mandatory evacuation, and me and my children would be fine. But that was not the case,” Henry told CNN, going on to recall flood waters beginning to seep into her home around 10 p.m. Wednesday. She stated that she tried to scoop up and pour down the drain, “But then the house literally ate us up with water.”
Eventually, the power shut down and Henry grew worried that she and her children could “drown to death.” Her oldest daughter, who turns 11 in October, was very frightened and said to her mother, “‘Mom, I don’t want to die for my birthday.’ ”
“In my mind, I really thought that me and my children wouldn’t make it out alive. Somebody was gonna be gone,” Henry told WFLA.
As Henry’s home continued to flood she knew she needed to get to higher ground, so she broke into an unoccupied house nearby for safety. As she and her children inflated and claimed into a floatation device to get out of the flood waters.
Thankfully, Henry spotted the WFLA news crew with journalist Beth Rousseau outside and reached out to them for help. “I don’t know what made me open up that window, but I am so glad I did. Because they could have finished that story and packed up and left,” Henry told CNN. “When I seen someone standing in the middle of the road, I knew it was my blessing.”
In footage of the harrowing moment, Henry is heard telling Rousseau, “I have four kids. They’re in there now. They’re scared. I’m scared.” Rousseau replied, “That’s horrible. We’ll be here for a second. I’m going to see if I can find something to paddle out there.”
A short time later, a Jeep appeared and the driver shined the headlight so that Henry and here children could see to get out safely. They have since been recovering in a shelter.
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Satellite image of Hurricane Milton’s reach. Photo Credit: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) -
Photo Credit: The National Desk -
Skyline of Tampa, Florida. Distant view of Downtown Tampa over the Hillsborough River and big transport junction. Extra-large, high-resolution stitched panorama.
