Atlanta Veteran Wades Through Flood to Save Trapped Driver

George Brathwaite was stuck in traffic on the downtown connector Wednesday night when heavy rains turned Atlanta's highways into rivers. Across the flooded interstate, a woman was climbing onto her car roof as the water rose around her.

"The car was almost floating down the highway," George told reporters. His wife didn't hesitate: "Go get her! Go get her!"

So he did. The Iraq War veteran stepped into the murky floodwater and carefully made his way across the submerged interstate. Within minutes, he reached the terrified driver and carried her to safety on his back.

"I'm a veteran. I did my time in Iraq. It's fight or flight," George explained simply.

The evening rush hour had turned dangerous fast. Flash floods swept across downtown and midtown Atlanta, trapping multiple drivers on interstates and side streets. Rescue after rescue played out as emergency crews and everyday heroes responded to the crisis.

His wife Chyna watched anxiously from their car as George navigated the treacherous water. "She was terrified. She was shaking and everything," Chyna said of the rescued driver once they reached safety.

Minutes after the rescue, a Georgia Department of Transportation worker arrived and cleared a blocked drain. The floodwaters began receding almost immediately, and traffic slowly returned to normal.

Sunny's Take

George's quick action shows what happens when people choose courage over comfort. He could have stayed safe in his car like most drivers would. Instead, he trusted his training and his instincts to help a stranger in need.

His wife's encouragement mattered too. Sometimes we need someone to say "go" before we leap into action. Together, this couple turned a terrifying moment into a story of hope.

The rescue took just minutes, but those minutes meant everything to a woman watching water rise around her vehicle. George didn't see himself as a hero afterward, just someone doing what needed to be done.

That's the best kind of heroism.