Miraculous Rescues as Seven People Survive Terrifying Ordeal in Oregon Floodwaters
"We got up [on] top of the car and we had a nice prayer time."
(Tillamook, Oregon)—Tillamook, Oregon, is beautiful dairy country nestled amidst the Northwest's lush coastal mountains, but it is also prone to dangerous winter flooding due to the convergence of several rivers in the area. As heavy rains drenched Oregon last week—with nearly 10 inches falling around Tillamook—retired state trooper Glen Cyphers describes how he and his daughter and two grandchildren miraculously escaped with their lives after flooding washed out a bridge at Fawcett Creek.
The family was driving home from church on Wednesday night, November 12, when suddenly the road in front of them disappeared and their car plunged into the cold raging creek.
"We kept going downstream quite a ways," says Cyphers, noting that it was pitch dark, "and then a log came through the back window and the car started filling up with water." (Photo: KGW TV News)
With his car tangled in a log jam, according to a KGW news report, Cyphers forced his door open, grabbed his granddaughter and put her on the trunk of the car. But suddenly, the car listed sideways.
"I thought my daughter and other granddaughter were gone," remembers Cyphers. "I couldn't see them anymore."
But as he was struggling with his one granddaughter, his daughter and other granddaughter reportedly fought to escape the submerged car and were able to join him.
"We got up [on] top of the car and we had a nice prayer time," says Cyphers, who with his family hung on for dear life for another terrifying hour. "We knew we were dead."
Soon another car—with a mother, daughter, and two infants—soon plunged into the creek at the same spot. The 11-year-old daughter was able to escape the car and get to safety on land where she ran to a nearby house for help, telling authorities that her mother and the babies were on top of the roof of their car.
"By this time, the river was pounding on the roof and going over the roof," according to Tillamook Fire Captain Charles Spittles.
Amazingly, all the occupants of both cars were rescued by area volunteer firefighters and the Coast Guard with no serious injuries reported.
