Fox News reporter saves woman trapped in submerged car live on air as Hurricane Helene floods rush in & swallow vehicle
Fox News Reporter Saves Woman Trapped in Submerged Car During Hurricane Helene Live on Air
Fox News meteorologist Bob Van Dillen has been hailed as a hero after rescuing a woman trapped in a submerged car during a live broadcast on Friday, just moments before the vehicle was completely swallowed by floodwaters caused by Hurricane Helene.
The dramatic rescue took place while Van Dillen was reporting live from Atlanta on the devastation caused by the storm. As he discussed the flash flood warnings in the area, the screams of a woman trapped in her car could be heard in the background.
Van Dillen immediately acknowledged the desperate cries for help, reassuring the woman that emergency services were on the way. However, as the situation escalated, he realized that the woman’s life was in imminent danger.
He visibly looked concerned and told the viewers, “Oh man, it’s a situation,” before informing them that he was going to help the woman, saying, “I’ll be back.” As the Fox News team continued their coverage, Van Dillen disappeared from the broadcast, determined to rescue the woman.
When the broadcast returned, Van Dillen was seen wading through chest-high water, carrying the woman on his back after successfully helping her escape from the car. The vehicle was almost entirely submerged, and the woman was trapped inside with the water rising rapidly around her.
Van Dillen later recounted the rescue during his appearance on Fox and Friends, explaining that he had called 911, but the emergency services were overwhelmed due to the storm’s severity. He said over 10 minutes had passed since the woman first called for help with no sign of police or rescue personnel. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Van Dillen decided to take matters into his own hands.
“I dropped everything, took my wallet out of my pants, and went in there,” he recalled, describing the water as “chest deep.” When he reached the vehicle, which was still running, the woman inside was “panicking” and struggling to communicate. She had her seatbelt on, and the water had already reached the car windows, nearly submerging her entirely.
Van Dillen instructed the woman to unbuckle her seatbelt and pass him her phone and bag. However, the rising water made it impossible to open the car door, so he had to roll down the window. Miraculously, the water did not affect the car’s mechanics, allowing the window to open, and the woman was able to crawl out.
Van Dillen then carried her through the floodwaters to safety. Despite the dangerous current, he noted that the water wasn’t moving as quickly as he had feared. The woman was in shock and shivering from the cold, but thankfully, she was unharmed.
Fox host Janice Dean, who has known Van Dillen for over 15 years, expressed admiration for his heroic actions, saying, “That’s the kind of guy Bob Van Dillen is.” She encouraged him to embrace his heroism, adding that his modesty was typical of his character.
Thanks to Van Dillen’s quick thinking and bravery, the woman was rescued in the nick of time, and her life was saved just before the car was completely engulfed by the floodwaters. The incident is a reminder of the life-threatening risks posed by natural disasters and the selfless actions of those who go above and beyond to help others in times of need.
A REPORTER has been hailed a hero after he rescued a woman trapped in a submerged car on live TV – moments before floods swallowed the vehicle.
The woman could be heard screaming for help in the background of Fox News meteorologist Bob Van Dillen’s report as he covered Hurricane Helene’s wrath in Atlanta on Friday.
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Fox meteorologist Bob Van Dillen reporting live from Atlanta as a woman trapped in her car screamed behind him on Friday morningCredit: Fox News
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Van Dillen carrying an Atlanta resident out of the water to safetyCredit: Fox News
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The woman’s car, which was almost completely submerged in the Hurricane Helene floodsCredit: Fox News
After making landfall in Florida on Thursday, Hurricane Helene brought devastating winds and catastrophic rain to Georgia and the southeast on Friday.
The storm had led to at least 37 deaths by Friday afternoon.
Van Dillen was discussing a flash flood warning when he heard the panicked driver screaming for help.
The Fox meteorologist promised her 911 was coming but her cries for help continued.
Van Dillen appeared visibly worried for the woman and said, “Oh man, it’s a situation.”
He then looked into the camera and said that he was going to help the lady, promising, “I’ll be back.”
The Fox and Friends team in New York continued the broadcast as Van Dillen disappeared to help the driver.
When the broadcast returned to Van Dillen in Atlanta, he was seen wading in chest-high water, carrying the woman on his back after helping her escape her car.
About 30 minutes later, Van Dillen recounted the rescue on Fox and Friends, saying he called 911 but didn’t get an answer as emergency services were “swamped” due to the storm.
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He said over 10 minutes passed since the woman first called for help and no cops were in sight – so he knew he had to do something.
“I dropped everything, and I took my wallet out of my pants and I went in there and waded in,” Van Dillen said, adding that the water was “chest deep.”
When he reached the car, which was still running, the woman inside was “panicking,” the reporter told Fox.
“She really wasn’t making too much sense and she was still strapped into the car seat,” he recalled.
“She still had the seat buckle on. And she had her window about this much down and she’s trying to talk to me through that.”
He said that the woman was “almost neck-deep” in water, which had already reached the car windows.
‘MIRACLE’ RESCUE
Van Dillen told the Atlanta resident to undo her seatbelt and hand over her phone and bag.
But the rising water pressure prevented him from opening the car door, so he rolled the window down and she crawled out through the opening.
He said it was a “miracle” the water didn’t interfere with the car’s mechanics, allowing the window to go down with “no problem.”
He then put the woman on his back and carried her out of the water.
I dropped everything, and I took my wallet out of my pants and I went in there and waded in.”
Bob Van Dillen
Despite his worries about the strong current, Van Dillen said the water wasn’t moving as swiftly as he expected.
He also reported that the water temperature was likely around 80 degrees.
“That being said, the water came up to my chest,” he added.
Fox host Janice Dean said she wasn’t surprised by Van Dillen’s heroic act after knowing him for over 15 years.
“That’s the kind of guy Bob Van Dillen is,” Dean said, encouraging the meteorologist to not be so humble.
Van Dillen said the woman was fine, despite being in shock and shivering from the cold.
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Footage showed Van Dillen rescuing the woman from her carCredit: Fox News
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The Fox and Friends team, who watched Van Dillen make the heroic rescue on the broadcastCredit: Fox News
