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Man Trapped In Submerged Truck On Live TV, Off-Duty ER Nurse Dives Into Floodwaters To Save Him

September 13, 2024

Today's good news story comes from New Orleans, Louisiana.

Amidst the chaos of Hurricane Francine, a dramatic rescue unfolded on live television. On the evening of Wednesday, September 11, Miles Crawford, an off-duty ER nurse in Lakeview, Louisiana, leaped into action when he learned someone was trapped in a submerged pickup truck, caught in floodwaters just 200 feet from his home.

WDSU News

At around 8:45 p.m., Crawford received a text from his brother, who had been watching WDSU News. He informed Crawford that a news crew was covering a breaking story at a nearby canal, where a man was stuck in his vehicle.

Without hesitation, Crawford ran to the scene, passing a police car and WDSU news reporter Jonah Gilmore, who was pleading with the officer for help. The truck was already half-submerged in the canal.

As Crawford approached the submerged truck, a police officer warned him about the perilous conditions. "It's not safe. It's too deep," the officer said. Despite the warning, Crawford made a split-second decision to take matters into his own hands.

"I don’t blame the cop," Crawford told People. "If I were in his shoes, I wouldn’t have gone in alone without backup either. But I figured, if I go in, at least he’ll be there to help if something goes wrong."

Miles Crawford / WDSU News

Realizing he needed a tool to break the window, Crawford sprinted back to his house, grabbed a hammer, and plunged into the chest-high floodwaters.

When he reached the vehicle, the situation was dire—the water had reached the driver's chin, and time was running out. Crawford instructed the man to move to the back of the truck, where the water was slightly shallower, then smashed the rear window with his hammer.

He pulled the man out, guided him through the swirling floodwaters, and helped him climb over a guardrail to safety.

Just 10 minutes later, the truck was fully submerged.

Crawford said his background as an ER nurse helped him stay calm throughout the rescue. "I’m used to high stress, high, high, you know, level of things on a daily basis," he told WDSU News.

Watch the rescue in the video below.