FOX Weather meteorologist Bob Van Dillen found himself in the middle of a harrowing rescue effort during Hurricane Helen.
Conditions rapidly deteriorated before dawn in the Atlanta area, leaving millions of people facing the threat of life-threatening flooding.
On Friday morning, Atlanta endured the wettest three days in 104 years, putting the city under its first-ever flash flood emergency.
Van Diren, a local journalist, was covering the aftermath of the storm when he heard a woman's frantic cries for help along Peach Tree Creek. She drove into floodwaters and was trapped inside before sunrise.
“I put down my microphone and called 911,” he said. “We waited about five minutes because we knew those guys were busy. She was getting more panicky because the water was getting a little bit higher.”
Without hesitation, Van Dillen, a tall 6-foot-1-inch man, waded through the chest-deep water, battling strong currents, to reach the woman.
He pulled her to safety and carried her through the floodwaters to a nearby dry area.
“The water temperature is about 80 degrees. It's not cold, but it's freezing right now,” Van Diren said. “She was sitting there all alone, tied up in the car. So I know she was cold.”
Despite the danger in the water, Van Diren remained calm and focused on rescuing the woman.
As he carried her to safety, he recorded the rescue effort and then broadcast it live on camera with his FOX Weather colleagues.
Although his selfless and courageous act attracted attention, he remained humble and maintained that anyone in his position would have done the same.
“My husband came to pick me up and I'm fine,” Van Diren said. “But the story isn't about me, it's about how much flooding we've had. So… there's an amazing amount coming in.”
Peachtree Creek water levels are at the third-highest level on record, Van Dillen said.
A high-water rescue was carried out in the early morning hours, pulling dozens of people from an apartment complex about a mile upstream from the rescue scene.
The same water now flows through Peach Tree Creek and approaches the Northside Drive Bridge.
The death toll from Helen continues to rise in the state.
One person was tragically killed when a car collided with a fallen tree in Colquitt County, Georgia.
FOX 5 reports widespread damage was reported in the area and emergency management officials are assessing the extent of the destruction.
Additionally, at least two additional deaths were confirmed in Wheeler County, Georgia.
During numerous tornado warnings related to the storm, mobile homes were damaged and lives were lost as a result.
The heavy rain that hit Atlanta has almost stopped, but the rain belt that was spreading around the city now appears to have lifted.
