An extraordinary rescue of a family of four from floodwaters by complete strangers has formed a bond among them for life.
Pennsylvania resident, Dan Di Gregorio and three other men, all strangers, helped rescue a family caught in raging floodwaters caused by tropical storm Isaias.
The strangers formed a human chain around the family and held onto each other until the last person was saved.
The family became trapped in floodwaters due to Isaias in west Philadelphia and out of nowhere, strangers rallied together to find a way to rescue them.
The video is heart-racing and shows the true bravery of normal people coming together for a cause. “You can see how strong the river is and it’s pulling them away,” says Dan DiGregorio, one of four strangers who rushed in to save them. “Honestly, out of nowhere, this backhoe comes around the corner and we immediately started screaming at the guy driving it.”
He added, “We’re yelling at the dad, who’s now about 15 feet away from the car with his baby in his arms. He’s almost going under. So, we tell him to get back to the car,” DiGregorio said. The four strangers made a human chain, holding on to each other’s belts to get the family members out.
Suddenly the oldest child seemed like he was slipping away but DiGregorio grabbed him by the wrist. “Even last night, I couldn’t sleep because I can still see the fear in his eyes as I’m holding on to them. Because if I let go, he’s gone,” he said. “We were all very lucky. I mean, it wasn’t smart by any of us, but it was something that had to be done as soon as possible.”
The heroes of that impossible rescue were DiGregorio, David MacDonald, Tom Garner, and Walter Puddifer and the family they rescued are now buddies for life. “None of us knew each other,” he says. “We were from everywhere, from different countries. Who cares who we are? Everybody’s family and everybody needs to take care of each other.”
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