“I want to thank these guys for saving my life”: See the moment CNN’s @DrewGriffinCNN rescues a man from a sinking truck in Beaumont, Texas pic.twitter.com/V46LMIE0tk
— CNN (@CNN) August 30, 2017
Tropical Storm Harvey’s still wreaking havoc throughout southeast Texas (while also moving into Louisiana), and evangelist Joel Osteen is still defending his reluctance to immediately shelter evacuees. Yet one CNN reporter did not hesitate when confronted with a life-threatening situation that unfolded right behind him on Wednesday morning in Beaumont, Texas. Drew Griffin and his crew were beginning to cover Harvey’s ongoing impact when a truck slipped down a ravine and into high water. Immediately, they sprang into action to pull the driver out of his vehicle to safety.
On live television, no less. To describe this rescue as “dramatic” would be a vast understatement, and all parties appeared to be in shock, but driver Jerry Sumrall did speak on camera. He profusely thanked the crew for saving his life and chatted a little about his hometown of Winnie, Texas, which got hammered by Harvey. Sumrall was then content to depart for nearby motel accommodations that have been providing his shelter from the storm, while Griffin continued to express his on disbelief on camera.
Here’s a longer clip of Griffin reflecting on what just happened. “There was no time to call 911 … he was floating down the ravine,” Griffin marveled. “I can’t believe that just happened, I don’t know what to tell you.” It’s truly amazing.
.@DrewGriffinCNN and his crew just saved a man from the flood waters https://t.co/nesXngf2PU
— Meg Wagner (@megwagner) August 30, 2017
(Via CNN)