A television weather reporter in Atlanta halted his live coverage of Hurricane Helene on Friday to rescue a woman trapped in her vehicle by floodwaters.
In a video of the rescue, FOX Weather meteorologist Bob Van Dillen is seen standing in the rain with the submerged vehicle in the background, explaining how the woman accidentally drove into a flooded area.
Van Dillen quickly called 911 as the woman’s panicked screams could be heard. He then turned to the camera and said, “It’s a critical situation. We will update you shortly. I’m going to try to assist this lady further.”
The footage shows Van Dillen wading through the rising waters with the woman on his back, carrying her to safety.
In a subsequent interview, Van Dillen stated that he reacted without hesitation to help the woman.
“I took off my wallet, waded in, and went chest-deep into the water,” Van Dillen recounted. “She was still inside her car, almost neck-deep in water as it continued to rise.”
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Subramaniam Vincent, director of journalism and media ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, praised Van Dillen’s actions as an example of a reporter’s duty intersecting with human compassion.
Vincent noted that while Van Dillen had a professional obligation to report the news, he also faced a situation where someone’s life was in danger. “The decision he made was a human one,” Vincent commented.
Given the urgency of the situation and the woman’s distress, coupled with uncertainty about when help would arrive, Vincent described it as a straightforward case of one citizen assisting another in need.
By Jennifer Sinco Kelleher
