SYCAMORE CREEK — A family of five and their dog are lucky to be alive after being rescued from rushing flood waters Saturday night.
Authorities say the family was at Sycamore Creek for a celebration of life for their son who died last week.
Saturday's rain triggered flash flooding in the area trapping the family's Jeep in the water.
"They started to enter the water and I'm like, 'Oh gosh, theyre not going to do it are they?' Sure enough they just kept driving in. Once the headlights disappeared, we sprang into action," said Christina Girard who was part of the rescue crew.
Girard said the family was holding on to the top of the jeep and roll bars of their vehicle before rescue crews were able to pull them to safety.
Joe Osuch, owner of Arizona 4x4 Off Road Recovery, says he was in the right place at the right time to help rescue the family from the floodwater. He says "It looked like the Colorado River."
The flooded creek was flowing at 1,000 cubic feet per second.
"You just can't get that picture out of your mind of a six-year-old sitting on top of a crate or an ice chest holding on to the roll cage with one hand and holding a puppy in the other hand," said Osuch.
He hopes this will be a lesson for others to stay where it's safe, be patient and not cross flooded areas.
