Pregnant Woman and Her Dog Float on Mattress for 8 Hours to Survive Helene’s Floodwaters

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A woman in North Carolina is expressing deep gratitude for her survival after being trapped by floodwaters in her childhood home for eight hours. The ordeal was a terrifying experience that could have ended much differently.

Emily Russell, who is expecting a child, found herself in a life-threatening situation early Friday morning. She was at her home in Swannanoa, just east of Asheville in Buncombe County, when floodwaters suddenly surrounded her. “I honestly thought I was going to drown in my own home,” Russell recalled. “It felt like I was stranded on an island with no escape. I reached a point where I had to think about leaving.”

As Russell peered out of her window, she witnessed cars and even RVs being swept away by the rushing water. Things took a turn for the worse when she heard part of her house crumble under the pressure of the water.

“When you start hearing that, it feels like you’re in a movie,” she said. “Then the front door gave way, followed by the back door, and within 30 seconds, the water went from being on the floor to up to my neck.”

With her house filling rapidly, Russell and her dog found refuge on a floating mattress. They spent nearly eight hours like that, desperately hoping someone would come to their rescue.

“The fear was overwhelming at first,” she shared. “But after a while, your body starts to adjust. I was so cold from the water and shaking uncontrollably that eventually, I just went numb. It was a strange mix of fear and calm.”

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Her husband wasn’t able to reach her until 6 p.m. that evening. When she saw him, Russell knew this was her chance to escape. “I remember thinking, ‘This is it. This is my only chance,'” she said. “So, me and my dog tried to make a run for it, but the current was so strong that I could only manage about 10 feet before I had to yell, ‘I can’t do this. I can’t walk anymore; it’s going to sweep me away.'”

Fortunately, she was able to make it out safely, and Russell now considers herself incredibly fortunate. She’s well aware that not everyone in her situation had the same outcome.