APACHE JUNCTION, AZ — ABC15 witnessed a reunion a year in the making after an Apache Junction police officer pulled a woman for her submerged SUV during last year's monsoon.
In a video, cries for help from a woman inside the SUV could be heard.
"Oh, my goodness. So much has happened since that day,” said Sue Teders.
Teders was stuck in flood waters along Apache Junction Road on July 28, 2022.
"I could have died. I didn't. I was thankful for not dying. But, at one point, I was also bitter and upset about my dog,” said Teders.
Claire, her dog, drowned during the ordeal.
But, Teders still wonders why her life was spared.
"I've never come that close to actually having an experience of an 'I could have died' type of thing,” she said.
Every now and again, Teders says, she is reminded of that day.
"I have one grandson that says to me, every time it rains, 'don't go to Apache Junction, you know,'” said Teders.
She tells ABC15 she was in shock after her rescue.
"There were just a lot of emotions going,” she said.
As for Teders’ rescue, she remembers the officer's touch.
"He was holding my hands and yelling at me, 'hurry up, hurry up,' because the water was still coming in so hard on my car,” added Teders.
Teders also remembers him telling her she was slipping.
"Everything is happening in fast-motion, you know? You have 400 things going through your head. Am I going to get out? Is he going to get me out?” said Teders.
One of the officers working to save Teders has helped with countless rescues in his 12 years of policing in Apache Junction.
"I would say time kind of slows down in that moment a little bit,” said Apache Junction Police Sergeant Josh DuPont, who rescued Teders along with Sgt. Wes Kelley.
Sgt. DuPont says the moment he gripped Teders "was pretty gratifying."
"I was actually thrilled to be able to meet him and see him in person. It made it so much more personable as to what he did for me,” added Teders.
Teders and Sgt. DuPont met for the first time on Tuesday while filming for a law enforcement-based show launching on the First Responders Network in the fall of this year.
"I knew she was someone's daughter, mother, daughter, sister, aunt... and ultimately did not want to have to make that next-of-kin notification,” added Sgt. DuPont.
