'Thank you guys for saving my life': Dramatic moment reporters pull a Texas man from the cab of his truck before it floats away

  • Reporter Drew Griffin was just about to start a live cross for CNN on Wednesday when a man drove his truck into a flooded ravine in Beaumont
  • Cameras were still rolling when Griffin and a crew member grabbed a rope and ran to pull the man from his truck
  • They were filmed helping the man out before he collapsed onto the bank
  • The truck could be seen in the background of the live shot as it floated away

By EMILY CRANE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: | Updated:

This is the dramatic moment a CNN reporter and his crew pulled a man from his truck on live television after he got caught up in raging floodwaters.

Drew Griffin was just about to start a live cross for CNN on Wednesday when the driver accidentally drove into a flooded ravine in Beaumont, Texas right behind him.

The cameras were still rolling when Griffin and a crew members grabbed a rope and ran over to help the man identified as Jerry Sumrall of Winnie, Texas. 

CNN reporter Drew Griffin and a crew member pulled a man from his truck on live television on Wednesday after he got caught up in raging floodwaters

CNN reporter Drew Griffin and a crew member pulled a man from his truck on live television on Wednesday after he got caught up in raging floodwaters

They were filmed pulling the man from the cab of his truck and helping him as he collapsed onto the bank. 

'Come on, sir, let's get you up and into the dry,' Griffin could be heard saying to Sumrall. 

'How are you doing? Lord have mercy, this is too much of a time for you to be interviewed right now. Are you doing all right? Your heart doing okay? You're alive, sir. You're alive.' 

Griffin was just about to start a live cross when he noticed (above) the truck being swept into a flooded ravine in Beaumont, Texas right behind him

Griffin was just about to start a live cross when he noticed (above) the truck being swept into a flooded ravine in Beaumont, Texas right behind him

The CNN crew were filmed pulling the man from the cab of his truck and helping him as he collapsed onto the bank

The CNN crew were filmed pulling the man from the cab of his truck and helping him as he collapsed onto the bank

Moments later, an out-of-breath Griffin fronted the live camera telling the news anchor back in the studio: 'There was no time to call 911'

Moments later, an out-of-breath Griffin fronted the live camera telling the news anchor back in the studio: 'There was no time to call 911'

Moments later, an out-of-breath Griffin fronted the live camera telling the news anchor back in the studio: 'We just literally rescued this guy out.

'There was no time to call 911. He was floating down this ravine. That's his truck right behind me.'

As Griffin relayed the chain of events, the man's truck could be seen in the background of the live shot as it floated away.

A soaked Sumrall later joined the reporter on screen to thank them.

'I want to thank these guys for saving my life,' Sumrall told the camera. 

As Griffin relayed the chain of events, the man's truck could be seen in the background of the live shot as it floated away

As Griffin relayed the chain of events, the man's truck could be seen in the background of the live shot as it floated away

 

CNN

Most watched News videos