A few hours later, he watched from a distance as a man rescued an elderly woman and others trapped in a house as the water continued to rise. Pauley told CNN he could hear people shouting across the flooded street, “Ask for help, get help.” Polley called 911, but emergency services were overwhelmed and did not respond to his calls, he said. Around 9am, she saw someone she described as a “hero” swim into the house and start banging on a door and window. A series of dramatic videos taken by Polly and shared with CNN show the rescue. Polly said it took about 30 minutes from start to finish as the man entered the house through the window and helped each of the three family members to safety. Missy Crovetti, who is based in Green Oaks, Illinois, told CNN that the rescued family consisted of her grandmother Mae Amburgey, her uncle Larry Amburgey and her brother Gregory Amburgey. They are safe and doing well, he said. Crovetti’s brother shared photos that captured the flood inside the home as the three waited to be rescued. In one of the photos, you can see 98-year-old Mae sitting on her bed, which is almost submerged in water. Crovetti said she does not know the name of the man who saved her family. Polly also said she doesn’t know the man’s name. Crovetti has set up a verified GoFundMe campaign to help support her grandmother and other family members as they recover from the devastating floods. The floods had claimed the lives of at least 26 people since Sunday morning. The National Weather Service has put a flood watch in effect through at least Monday morning for areas of southern and eastern Kentucky. There is a level 3 out of 4 moderate risk for excessive precipitation Sunday across southeastern Kentucky, according to the Weather Prediction Center. Heavy rains and flooding began Wednesday night, sweeping some homes off their foundations and forcing residents to seek higher ground. Gov. Andy Beshear said he expects the death toll to rise as search crews enter areas that are currently inaccessible.
