Family was abruptly awakened by a scream at around 4 am—a stranger had just saved their lives from Texas floods
Timely intervention during times of crises can make a life-saving difference. A good samaritan named Matthew Crowder was headed to work at Texas Paintball, according to USA Today. His vigilant observation prompted him to jump into action and alert a family who were fast asleep inside their home. His intervention helped save the Eliashars in time from the ravaging floods. Crowder is being hailed as a hero for doing something in the spur of the moment with courage and astuteness. According to a report from CBS News, at least 135 people have lost their lives due to the floods.
Many are missing and still others have had devastating losses of their homes, belongings and loved ones. The Eliashars would have unfortunately suffered worse repercussions had it not been for Crowder. It was around 4 am on July 5 and Crowder was headed to work. He noticed that the floodwater was rapidly rising. He realized they'd be closed for the day and decided to head back but stopped due to a "gut feeling," per CNN. Things got seriously concerning when the man realized that the swift waters were surrounding a home. "That's when everything went south, real quick," he recalled. He quickly jumped into action by first calling 911 and then rushing to alert the family.
Crowder, a random stranger who had no idea who lived in the home, if at all, started screaming loudly. Fortunately, one of the kids heard the yelling and abruptly woke his mother, Crissy. The mom was home with her three kids and another family friend, who were all reportedly under the age of 12. They also had four pet dogs with them. The mom quickly realized the magnitude of the situation. She took the kids and the pets and made her way to the porch, hoping to escape. "That had already become a lake. So then I panicked,” she recalled.
The mom spotted her car floating away and the aggressive water levels didn’t help. Through it all, Crowder stayed there, trying his best to guide the family. He urged Crissy to escape with the kids and dogs from the backyard and wait on a nearby chain-link fence for them to make their way to him. "My daughter actually fell and lost her shoe and nearly lost her life. My son grabbed her arm and picked her up and we were able to keep walking,” the terrified mom recalled. The water was knee-deep, but the family had no choice but to keep moving forward.
During the rescue, Crowder also got swept away by the floods briefly. He hurt his back and his ankle but his determination kept him moving. When he saw Crissy’s little girl getting swept away, he feared the worst. "That kid getting swept away, like genuinely, I thought that that was it. That was the worst feeling I think I've ever experienced in my life,” he explained. With everyone on the scene only hoping to escape and live, they all did their best. They got into Crissy’s dad’s pickup truck and were able to make their way to a neighbor’s yard. Fortunately, the woman’s dad, who had been living in a trailer on the property, was also able to escape.
The police soon helped the family drive to higher ground, after which a friend took them in. The mom returned the next day to find her home completely destroyed. However, she was grateful to have her family alive. She commended Crowder for acting astutely in her post on Facebook. "I'm so grateful that he screamed and was able to wake us up and be that guide to safety for us. He really saved us,” she remarked. Crissy also shared several updates on her home and her family coping. A GoFundMe has been set up for the family and around $119,1022 has been raised. Crowder returned the next day to offer help at the scene. He shared an important message — "When these things happen to people, it makes them see how helping people, even the biggest or smallest ways, is so important.”
If a disaster (natural or human‑caused) has left you distressed, and you need help, please reach out to the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1‑800‑985‑5990 (call or text). samhsa.gov