During a live broadcast covering Hurricane Helene, Fox Weather meteorologist Bob Van Dillen made headlines when he interrupted his report to rescue a woman trapped in her submerged car.
While reporting from Atlanta, Georgia, Van Dillen noticed a woman screaming for help after she drove into floodwaters near Peachtree Creek. Without hesitation, he waded through the rising water to reach her.
As he approached, viewers could hear him comforting the distressed driver. He said, “I’m going to go see if I can help this lady out a little bit more. You guys, I’ll be back.” Moments later, he returned with the woman safely on his back.
After the rescue, Van Dillen shared that the woman was still strapped into her seat and the water was nearly neck-deep. He explained that the water was rising quickly and starting to fill the car.
Subramaniam Vincent, who directs journalism and media ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, commended Van Dillen for his quick decision to help. Vincent pointed out that it was a clear case of one citizen helping another in a dangerous situation.
Hurricane Helene has caused significant devastation, resulting in at least 43 fatalities across four states. The storm left over 3.5 million homes and businesses without power, with some areas in Florida seeing water levels rise more than 15 feet above ground.
By early Friday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center reported that Helene had weakened to a tropical depression, with maximum sustained winds at 35 mph (55 kph). Despite this, heavy rains continued to cause serious flooding. Emergency crews have conducted thousands of water rescues.
In Tennessee, rescuers used helicopters to evacuate more than 50 patients and caregivers from a hospital roof as flooding forced them to leave the building.
