Spring Break
Flash flood, quick thinking
Graduate student rescues three from flooded car
Sydney Elliot
Issue date: 6/25/08 Section: News
SIUE graduate student and Troy resident Patrick Marvin chose to leave for work 10 minutes early on a Friday afternoon. This decision ended up saving the lives of two elderly women and an elderly man.
On June 6, Marvin decided to leave for work early due to the heavy rains and tornado warnings the area received all day long. On his way to 54th Street Bar and Grill in Edwardsville, Marvin had to turn around on Route 162 in Maryville near Anderson Hospital because the road was flooded.
When he pulled into the parking lot of The Cambridge House, an assisted living retirement center, he noticed a car in the ditch near the parking lot. In the car were Majorie Drenkhahn, 88, and two of her friends.
"I was going to make a U-turn, and I glanced over and saw this car embedded in the water. I was like 'Wow, that's something you don't see every day'," Marvin said.
Marvin said he saw the car and a woman, Katie Wright, who turned out to be an employee of The Cambridge House, and knew he had to help. The man who was in the driver's side back seat was already standing outside the car when Marvin arrived. He then noticed the two older women still sitting in the car.
"I didn't really think about it and just jumped in and started walking in (the water)," Marvin said.
The rescue effort only lasted a few moments before all three people were safe. Drenkhahn, who is a resident of The Cambridge House, said she knew someone from the center had come to help get her and the others out of the car, but she said she couldn't see their faces.
After everyone was out of the car, Drenkhahn said she had to be helped to the building with Marvin on one side of her and Wright on the other side. She said she was met at the front doors with a wheelchair and taken back to her room.
Marvin said Drenkhahn remained calm throughout the ordeal, which made it easier to get her out of the vehicle.
"I felt real bad because I'm kind of manhandling this 80-year-old woman," Marvin said. "It was just one of those split decision
On June 6, Marvin decided to leave for work early due to the heavy rains and tornado warnings the area received all day long. On his way to 54th Street Bar and Grill in Edwardsville, Marvin had to turn around on Route 162 in Maryville near Anderson Hospital because the road was flooded.
When he pulled into the parking lot of The Cambridge House, an assisted living retirement center, he noticed a car in the ditch near the parking lot. In the car were Majorie Drenkhahn, 88, and two of her friends.
"I was going to make a U-turn, and I glanced over and saw this car embedded in the water. I was like 'Wow, that's something you don't see every day'," Marvin said.
Marvin said he saw the car and a woman, Katie Wright, who turned out to be an employee of The Cambridge House, and knew he had to help. The man who was in the driver's side back seat was already standing outside the car when Marvin arrived. He then noticed the two older women still sitting in the car.
"I didn't really think about it and just jumped in and started walking in (the water)," Marvin said.
The rescue effort only lasted a few moments before all three people were safe. Drenkhahn, who is a resident of The Cambridge House, said she knew someone from the center had come to help get her and the others out of the car, but she said she couldn't see their faces.
After everyone was out of the car, Drenkhahn said she had to be helped to the building with Marvin on one side of her and Wright on the other side. She said she was met at the front doors with a wheelchair and taken back to her room.
Marvin said Drenkhahn remained calm throughout the ordeal, which made it easier to get her out of the vehicle.
"I felt real bad because I'm kind of manhandling this 80-year-old woman," Marvin said. "It was just one of those split decision
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Angela K. Marvin
posted 6/26/08 @ 10:00 AM CST
What a great story about my brother! I am very proud of him, as one can imagine.
Angela K. Marvin
Secretary, Evergreen Hall
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