An 80-year-old Tennessee woman couldn’t hold on to her beloved dog in Hurricane Helene’s devastating floodwaters — but she swam in the water for an hour despite suffering a heart attack, reports say.
Shelia Creveling dove into the water with her loyal baby Biscuit in her arms to escape rising waters at her home along the French Broad River in Newport during the monster storm three weeks ago. According to WVLT 8 in Knoxville.
“That’s when I said, ‘I’m not going to die today.’ Today is not the day I’m going to die,'” she told the network. “And I didn’t.”
But the same cannot be said for the biscuit, which unfortunately had it broken due to the brutal force of the churning water.
According to the station, Creveling was then left alone as she struggled to stay afloat in the floodwaters for 45 minutes, taking deep gushes of air whenever she could.
“Sheila mustered every bit of strength she had left in her 80-year-old body and braved the cold, strong currents of the river,” according to the GoFundMe, which has raised more than $2,000 for her since September 27.
“Sheila said she must have swum the length of 3 football fields before she felt solid soil beneath her wet and weak body.”
But ultimately, she was caught in the middle of a flood – which she considered a miracle.
Creveling said, “I was determined to make it and I made it.” “I think it’s a miracle because I got to where I wanted. How it happened, I can’t tell you, but I did, and someone found me and saved me.”
First responders rescued him and brought him to the hospital, where he got another shocking surprise: He had actually had a heart attack in the middle of it all.
But this did not stop him from fighting for his life.
She was released a few days later, the GoFundMe said, but now begins another struggle: rebuilding the life she found at the Pigeon Forge hotel where she has been living for the past three weeks.
However, she continues with her characteristic courage.
“Sheila’s entire life and belongings were destroyed by the French Broad River, but that certainly didn’t dampen her fighting spirit,” the GoFundMe said.
“He is a wonderful human being and has given everyone in his care a new appreciation of life.”
Creveling saved very little from his riverside home – just a few of his father’s medallions and a few photographs.
“So many cosmetics and cleaning things, and that’s about it,” she said. “You can’t really have any organization. It’s just that you put it here, you put it there, and it has to stay that way.
However, soon, she will move into a newly-donated camper that will become her home. And their mission will continue.
“It’s great,” said the flexible woman.
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