In a night filled with unexpected drama, weatherman Bob Van Dillen found himself at the center of the action as Hurricane Helene, a powerful Category 4 storm, made its notorious landfall while he was reporting live for Fox. Van Dillen was broadcasting from Atlanta, where he had a flooded road as his backdrop.
As he commenced his live report, he noticed a woman in distress who had driven into the flood area. “You can hear her screaming,” he explained to the studio team at Fox & Friends. Captivated by the urgency of the moment, he continued to narrate the scene featuring the panicked woman, before announcing, “I just called 911. Help is on the way.”
Turning his focus to the woman, he tried to provide some reassurance, promising that assistance was en route. He then cut the live segment short, informing the studio, “It’s a serious situation. We will check back in shortly. I’m going to see if I can assist this lady.”
Van Dillen’s commitment to helping didn’t stop there. In a heartwarming turn of events, footage captured him carrying the distressed woman on his back through chest-deep floodwaters. In a remarkable gesture, he even gave her the shirt off his back to help keep her warm.
But the heroics didn’t end with Van Dillen. A U.S. Coast Guard rescue helicopter bravely ventured into the hurricane’s treacherous winds to save a man and his dog stranded on a disabled sailboat.
In another dramatic scene, an Atlanta resident was spotted using an inflatable air mattress as a makeshift life raft, showcasing the resilience of those navigating the perilous floodwaters while rescue teams worked tirelessly to save individuals in need.