Karen Lauder, Johnny Lauder’s 86-year-old mother, made the decision to stay in her Naples County, Florida, home before Ian made landfall there with gusts of 150 mph.
The water in the house reached over three feet (91 cm) when the hurricane hit Florida this week. Karen said, “I could have gone to a shelter, but I didn’t think it would be that terrible.”
Karen explained to the British “Sky News” network that she had to call her son for assistance since the water had reached her wheelchair.
To get to Mrs. Lauder’s house, Johnny had to swim for 45 minutes while numerous automobiles floated beside him in the floodwaters.
The water was moving quickly, and he described the swim as being really challenging.
I was aware of the risks I could encounter, but my mother was present and had limited time, he said.
He could hear his mother screaming as he arrived at home. He admitted, “I was both afraid and relieved at the same moment.”
He elevated her above a table and wrapped her in blankets till the water drained after noticing signs of hypothermia and sores on her body as a former diver and police officer.
Three hours later, with the assistance of his son, he was able to push her wheelchair to safety.
Ms. Lauder was admitted to the hospital due to infections, but her son said that she is now OK and has received treatment.
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“You will evacuate next time,” she said, adding, “I hope people learn from the mistakes of others and not from their own. “, he continued.
An American spends 45 minutes swimming in the “storm” to save his mother.
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