Help After My Car Flooded

So those that know me know that I am not one to ask for help.

But here we are.

I was driving on a back road in Texas the day after it rained and everything was dried up by the time I took this drive. It was 8:51pm and dark. No street lights, no lit houses, no gas stations. Just trees and road.

I went down a road that (at one point) had a sign up stating the road had been closed due to high water. I read later that people kept taking it down and a car actually got stuck a few hours before I did because they didn’t see a sign.

Anyway:

I had music playing and couldn’t hear the rushing water.

I noticed I started driving through some water but I didn’t know the road would dip.

Before I knew it, the water was up to the grill of my car while leaving the tail exposed and back tires under water. It dipped and started rocking side to side.

I turned off my radio and turned on all my lights and realized I was surrounded by water.

I could see water pouring from the left side of the road and passing through my car and pouring to the right side of the road like a very strong and fast river.

I knew I couldn’t back up and I couldn’t go forward and I definitely couldn’t get out.

I starting praying and calling 911.

Once they got to the scene, I was about 50 feet away from them and rushing water was between us.

They stood a while so they could figure out what to do and get things ready to get me out safely with them.

I started looking around to see if I needed anything important other than my phone and then I felt the water start to come into the car.

20 minutes had passed since I made that initial call and my car slowly started to loose power.

Windshield wipers slowed down and lights were flickering.

I called the dispatcher back frantically crying for them to please hurry. They were so patient and helpful.

He told me to roll down my windows and just helped me calm down.

I looked at my mirror on my door and saw fire rescue coming to get me.

They had to send 3 people because of how fast and deep the water was and they wanted to be sure I was the only one in the car(it was just me thank God).

They walked up to the window and were just really reassuring and realistic about what I needed to do.

One held my phone in his pocket and they had me put on a life vest before I got out. They all made a huddle and I held tight as we made our way back to the dry part of the road.

I turned around to look at my car and a paramedic said “I think the water is going down.”

It was.

But by now, my carpet was soaked and my car was slowly flickering the caution lights.

I don’t know if it was a flash flood and I don’t know if they were releasing water because it had rained so much the previous day.

But I swear It happened faster than I could get a grip on what I was seeing.

The medic drove me back to the fire station and while we were heading back, he had to tell 4 more cars to turn around.

I got a decent look at the cars and at the people in them.

3 were much older vehicles that may not have been able to withstand the water like mine did. There was a young couple and there was also an older woman in one car.

I really hope they have someone out there telling people to turn around.

But I really am the type of person that feels things happen for a reason.

I talk to God allot when I drive by myself and he knows I couldn’t shut up earlier lol I told him thank you tons (ironically).

My car is still there because they have to wait til morning due to the dangers of towing it now with all that water.

If people are driving on that road, they’ll definitely see my car and see the water hitting it any they’ll turn around.

I really don’t like that it happened but I’m glad it was me and not the people I saw.

I still say thank God I’m alive and I’m okay and thank God for the Fire Rescue that found me in time and the calm dispatcher I had on the phone.

I called my friend, Ashlie to watch my kids so my husband could pick me up from the fire station because now it’s 10pm.

Her and her husband stayed with my kids as I got picked up and called my insurance.

Now that you’ve stayed this long, thank you.

What my family is needing help with is paying my $500 deductible to our insurance.

I need my car in order to work and while I’d be getting a rental, I wouldn’t be able to use the rental to provide an income for my family.

I understand that not everyone can give and that’s okay. We just got our household to a good financial point and then this happened. If you cannot give,

I also accept prayers <3

Thank you so much,

The Martinez Family