Meet Mitch Smith, the unsung hero who braved furious floods to save an elderly woman
- Replies 3
In the quiet town of Elmore, Victoria, a local hero emerged from the shadows on a stormy evening.
Mitch Smith, a humble resident, found himself in the middle of a life-or-death situation when he spotted a 74-year-old woman trapped in her car, swept away by the raging floodwaters of Bendigo Creek.
The incident occurred just after 7 pm on Elmore-Raywood Rd, where the elderly woman's car was lifted by the floodwaters and carried off the road.
The vehicle was swept 100m downstream, coming to rest at Naughtons Bridge.
The woman, in a desperate bid for survival, clung to a tree branch as the waters roared around her.
Mitch, who had initially walked down to the creek to take photos of the flood, saw the woman in distress.
Without a second thought, he sprang into action.
'I just took off my boots, jumped in, made my way (to her)—I went from tree to tree, swimming across to her,' Mitch recounted in an interview.
The situation quickly escalated as the elderly woman's strength began to wane.
'She was rapidly losing strength and couldn’t hold on for much longer.'
Recognising the urgency of the situation, Mitch made a daring decision that would ultimately save the woman's life.
'I made the decision to jump back in,' he said.
'I ran back to my ute, I dove back in (to the water), and ratchet-strapped her back to the tree to take some pressure off her arms.'
This quick thinking and resourceful action allowed the woman to rest her weary arms, buying them precious time as they awaited rescue.
For an hour and a half, Mitch stayed with the woman, offering her comfort and reassurance amidst the chaos.
When asked about his own safety during the ordeal, Mitch humbly brushed it off.
'It was pretty overwhelming—it was just instinctive,' he said.
'I just hope someone—if they were capable of doing it—would do it for my grandma.'
After the rescue, Mitch visited the woman, who was understandably exhausted from the ordeal.
'I went to see her before I left—she just thanked me for saving her life,' he said.
'It was a pretty heavy situation.'
Have you ever experienced a flood or other natural disaster? Do you have a local hero in your community? Share your stories with us in the comments below.
Mitch Smith, a humble resident, found himself in the middle of a life-or-death situation when he spotted a 74-year-old woman trapped in her car, swept away by the raging floodwaters of Bendigo Creek.
The incident occurred just after 7 pm on Elmore-Raywood Rd, where the elderly woman's car was lifted by the floodwaters and carried off the road.
The vehicle was swept 100m downstream, coming to rest at Naughtons Bridge.
A woman inside her vehicle was swept 100m downstream by floodwaters in Elmore, Victoria. Image source: Shutterstock.
The woman, in a desperate bid for survival, clung to a tree branch as the waters roared around her.
Mitch, who had initially walked down to the creek to take photos of the flood, saw the woman in distress.
Without a second thought, he sprang into action.
'I just took off my boots, jumped in, made my way (to her)—I went from tree to tree, swimming across to her,' Mitch recounted in an interview.
The situation quickly escalated as the elderly woman's strength began to wane.
'She was rapidly losing strength and couldn’t hold on for much longer.'
Recognising the urgency of the situation, Mitch made a daring decision that would ultimately save the woman's life.
'I made the decision to jump back in,' he said.
'I ran back to my ute, I dove back in (to the water), and ratchet-strapped her back to the tree to take some pressure off her arms.'
This quick thinking and resourceful action allowed the woman to rest her weary arms, buying them precious time as they awaited rescue.
For an hour and a half, Mitch stayed with the woman, offering her comfort and reassurance amidst the chaos.
When asked about his own safety during the ordeal, Mitch humbly brushed it off.
'It was pretty overwhelming—it was just instinctive,' he said.
'I just hope someone—if they were capable of doing it—would do it for my grandma.'
After the rescue, Mitch visited the woman, who was understandably exhausted from the ordeal.
'I went to see her before I left—she just thanked me for saving her life,' he said.
'It was a pretty heavy situation.'
.png){kind=icon}
