A man in Indian Rocks is deemed a hero after saving dozens of people along with their pets from Hurricane Helene on Thursday.
Marty Thomas rescued all these people who were crying out for help from their flooded homes by paddling toward them.
Thomas saved Anne McIntosh, a 27-year resident of Indian Rocks Beach who didn't know how she would escape when her home took on several feet of water and her door wouldn’t open.
"The beds were floating. The couch was floating. My brother and his wife were on the counters," McIntosh said.
When Thomas heard the screams, he threw his surfboard out the window and started paddling towards the sound.
"I was walking around in the back unit just thinking, ‘what am I going to do?’ And all of a sudden, I hear a voice, and he's saying, 'We'll get you. We'll get you.' And it was Marty," McIntosh said.
Thomas and his friend were able to get the door open and get McIntosh, her brother and his wife out safety.
"You’re the angel of the city," McIntosh said of Thomas.
The surfer used his board to keep rescuing more people and even their pets for hours.
"She had the St. Bernard, which is a heavy dog, you know, so she couldn't lift the dog. So, I just picked the dog up and threw it out the window. He jumped right on the paddle board and was good," Thomas said.
With the help of his friend on a second-floor balcony guiding him with a flashing light, he paddled where he heard people yelling for help.
"He saved us," McIntosh said. "He got the door open. He paddled us across to safety. And just as an angel walking."
"Anne is tough. She didn't even need my help," Thomas said. "It was up to here on her. She was carrying stuff on her head."
McIntosh said it never flooded once in her area. But she regrets staying when it did and will never do it again.
"I never flood," McIntosh said. "Well, I flooded. I’ve learned a good lesson. Thanks to my angel here. I have the choice. Next time, I will evacuate."
She is so grateful for Thomas.
"He's an angel walking. He is the hero of Indian Rocks Beach now. And you do it so gracefully. Thank you. And I love you for it. And you deserve all the good things in life," she said to Thomas.
"Thank you. I appreciate that. You're pretty awesome yourself," Thomas replied.
Source: FOX 13