After intense rain flooded homes and streets in Palm Bay, Florida, two teenage brothers used a kayak and a paddleboard to help a mother, her young son and their three dogs escape their home.
The rescue happened Monday in the Brevard County city, about 70 miles southeast of Orlando. Resident Brittany Grant said floodwater rushed into her house, forcing her and her son to climb onto the kitchen counter as the water rose.
Grant called 911 but was unable to get help, according to reports. After she and her son had been stranded for hours, she posted a plea for help on Facebook.
A neighbor saw the post, and her sons, 17-year-old Lucas Marshall and 15-year-old Jonah Marshall, borrowed a kayak and paddleboard and headed to Grant’s home.
Jonah said he didn’t hesitate to help a family in danger. Lucas described the rescue as a little nerve-racking, but said he tried to keep Grant’s son calm by talking with him about his name and school.
“The community came together and saved us,” Grant said. “If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know how we would have gotten out.”
The flooding also proved fatal that Monday. Joshua Bennett, 34, died after his vehicle became trapped in rising water. His wife, Stacy Petit Bennett, said he called her on FaceTime as floodwater surrounded the vehicle.
“He called me on FaceTime, and he was just crying, like, ‘I don’t know what to do, I don’t know what to do,’” she said.
