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Family trapped by powerful floodwaters until 2 neighbors grab a kayak and paddleboard
Two teenage brothers used a borrowed kayak and paddleboard to rescue a mother, her young son and their three dogs from their flooded home in Palm Bay, Florida. Their actions helped a family stranded for hours after heavy rain sent water into the house, while emergency help was unavailable.
Brittany Grant and her son had climbed onto a kitchen counter as the water rose; after her 911 call brought no help, she appealed on Facebook. Lucas Marshall, 17, and Jonah Marshall, 15, responded, with Lucas talking to the boy during the rescue to keep him calm. The same day, flooding in Palm Bay also claimed the life of 34-year-old Joshua Bennett after his vehicle was caught in rising water.
In short
- Two brothers rescued a mother, son and three dogs.
- The family had been stranded for hours by rising floodwater.
- A separate flooding incident in Palm Bay was fatal.
Explained simply
Palm Bay is a city on Florida’s Atlantic coast, where heavy rain can overwhelm roads and homes with floodwater. Flooding can make it difficult for emergency crews to reach people, especially when streets are under water.
Brittany Grant and her young son were inside their home with three dogs as the water rose. Two local teenagers, Lucas and Jonah Marshall, used a kayak and paddleboard to reach them; Lucas spoke to the boy during the rescue to help keep him calm.
The flooding also shows the risks to people caught in fast-rising water, whether at home or on the road. A separate incident in Palm Bay that day resulted in the death of a driver.