In what rescuers are calling a miracle, a woman from Midland, Texas, was found clinging to a tree after being swept 20 miles downstream by the flooded Guadalupe River on Independence Day. The woman, camping with family near Hunt-Ingram, was caught in rising floodwaters that overtook their vehicle as they attempted to flee to higher ground.
Carl Jeter, a resident of Center Point, Texas, discovered the woman after hearing her panicked screams. “She was panicking,” Jeter recalled. Unable to reach 911 due to service issues, Jeter rushed into town to alert emergency responders in person. Rescue teams responded with boats, located the woman, and pulled her from the tree to safety.
Video footage from the scene shows first responders carefully fitting her with a life jacket before lowering her into a rescue boat. The woman, who had been missing for hours, told rescuers she was camping with five relatives, including her parents, when the river surged. She was separated from her family as the vehicle was swept away.
Authorities report that the woman managed to hold onto a tree after the violent current carried her roughly 20 miles downstream. She was described as being “nearly naked” and in distress, but conscious and coherent.
The incident occurred in the same region where other deadly flash floods claimed lives during the holiday weekend. The Guadalupe River rose more than 26 feet in a matter of hours following severe rainfall, overwhelming local crossings and campsites.
Jeter’s swift action and the bravery of local rescue teams likely saved the woman’s life. While her survival was hailed as miraculous, search efforts are ongoing for other individuals impacted by the flooding.
