Cheynne Prevatt, 26, waded into chest-high waters to check on Christine Bomlitz's mom who couldn't move without the use of a walker.
A woman who was desperately searching for the whereabouts of her 84-year-old mother had help from a kind stranger. Christine Bomlitz lost contact with her elderly mother, Shirley Affolter, as Hurricane Ian gained swept across southwest Florida on Wednesday. As the hours passed Bomlitz took to Facebook for help. When she woke up on Thursday morning, there was still no news of her mother who needs a walker to move around. That is until 26-year-old Cheynne Prevatt stepped in to help. The Englewood resident whose own family's home sustained significant damage in the storm, waded into chest-high floodwaters to search for Affolter. She finally got through Affolter's door and was relieved to see her unharmed, and most importantly alive. “I’m thankful for this stranger,” Bomlitz said according to NBC News, “a total stranger. People are amazing.”
Christine Bomlitz became more and more distraught as Hurricane Ian gained in ferocity Wednesday, sweeping across southwest Florida. Hours passed, but there was still no word from her 84-year-old mother. https://t.co/pjc3Vmh6xk
— WXXV 25 (@WXXV25) October 1, 2022
Despite the fact that the calamity had destroyed her own home, Prevatt was still concerned about others in need. “Our house didn’t really make it,” she said. “All of our stuff is packed up, and we are trying to go to my grandmother’s house.” Speaking of Bomlitz's mother, she added, “We’re going to go back for her,” Prevatt said. “That was the main goal, to make sure she was still alive.” A few hours later they were able to get some help. A paddleboard arrived to take Affolter to dry ground.
In an update on Facebook, she posted: I cannot tell you how grateful I am to our community. My mom has been water rescued and I’m waiting to hear about others on her street. The amazing souls, complete strangers, who came together and helped me orchestrate this from Las Vegas is astounding. I am deeply and profoundly moved beyond words by people coming together to help each other in such a way to save lives. I want to thank everyone who prayed and responded especially Kayla Martin who first contacted me saying she had a friend she would as if she could check on my mom, Cheyenne Autumn Prevatt who after losing her home , waded waist high down my Moms road to her house to check on her and send me videos and pics , reporting total devastation and multiple stranded elderly people needing immediate help, then Kayla again finding and organizing people to come do a water rescue for them Shaun, Lacey and Mike . It’s been an incredible experience. Words cannot express my sincerest gratitude to everyone.
Stuck on the other side of the country in Las Vegas, Christine Bomlitz posted pleas for help on social media. By Thursday afternoon, a Good Samaritan came to the rescue. https://t.co/kBhZSHUyFf
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 30, 2022
References:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1822790977746257/posts/8550669704958317/
Cover Image Source: Facebook | Christine Bomlitz
This is a developing story, and we’ll update you as we learn more. Information about Hurricane Ian is swiftly changing, and WomenWorking is committed to providing the most recent and verified updates in our articles and reportage. However, considering the frequency in developments, some of the information/data in this article may have changed since the time of publication. You can get official alerts and updates on Hurricane Ian from the National Hurricane Center.
