Crystal City resident Rebecca Bookout and her family were rescued by a Texas Army National Guard Alamo Dustoff Unit helicopter crew after floodwaters from the Nueces River inundated their home.
Floodwaters Rise Quickly
Bookout said her family was alerted to the rising floodwaters by a neighbor, but they didn’t realize the severity of the situation until it was too late. "A wall of water was just coming towards us," she said. "And by the time we saw it within 10 minutes, it was a foot in our house, and I mean up to my chest outside. That's how quick it happened."
Bookout and her husband went into survival mode, waking up their daughters and getting them into a boat. However, the strong currents made it difficult for them to reach safety. Bookout called 911, and the Texas Army National Guard responded with a Black Hawk helicopter.
Heroic Rescue
The crew, led by Sgt. Joey Puente, rescued Bookout, her family, and her parents, taking them to the event center in Crystal City, where they were picked up by other family members. Bookout expressed her gratitude to the crew, saying, "They just made us feel so comfortable… I don't even know how to repay them. I'm so grateful. I'm still grateful and honored."
Original reporting: San Antonio, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
