A heartbreaking accident occurred in Texas on Friday when 27-year-old Julian Ryan, a two-time father, lost his life attempting to rescue his family from the unexpected flash floods. In his futile effort, he all but cut off his arm, allegedly cutting it “clean off.
As reported by the New York Times, Ryan was in the bedroom of their mobile home in Ingram with his fiancée Christinia Wilson, 6-year-old and 13-month-old children, and his mother when they were awoken by the surging water at approximately 4 am.
Ryan, who had a job as a dishwasher at a local restaurant, initially observed the floodwaters alongside Wilson when it had already risen to their ankles. His 6-year-old son and his mother immediately ran towards the bedroom to find safety.
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Details of the Incident
Wilson described how events turned sinister when the trailer’s front door was thrown open, water flooding in fast. “Right after that, water went up to their waists,” she explained. Desperate to protect their children, the couple put them on a mattress, hoping it would float them to safety.
But the pressure of the water pushed the bedroom door closed and they were trapped. In a last-ditch effort to provide an exit, Ryan punched out the window, but the sharp glass cut deeply into his arm. His mother and Wilson both tried to dial 911, but nobody came as the water kept rising.
He lost so much blood and just didn’t think he would survive,” Wilson said in an interview with the New York Times. Later, the strong floodwaters ripped the trailer in two. Wilson, Ryan’s mother, and the two children survived but Ryan did not.
“He died saving us,” Wilson said, calling Ryan the “best father” who was always ready to assist others “no matter what it cost.
The catastrophic flash floods in Texas have already left at least 51 people dead. Among the missing are a few individuals, including 27 girls at a summer camp in Kerr County. Rescue crews are still searching for victims and stranded survivors by helicopter, boat, and drone.