NEW YORK (AP) — Tales of selflessness and heroism — and of deadly delays and heartbreaking missed opportunities — are emerging after the remnants of Hurricane Ida pummeled the Northeast with record-breaking rain that flooded roads and houses, killing dozens.
ELIZABETH, N.J.
Four people died in this small, industrial city when the swollen Elizabeth River swept through an apartment complex, trapping people in their homes. But there were also lifesaving rescues.
Greg Turner's 87-year-old mother called him from the flooded building complex at 8 p.m. Wednesday to tell him water was “shooting into the apartment.” He tried to race over from his home in another part of town, but floodwaters blocked his path.
Turner hailed firefighters in the street, who told him, “We’re swamped, but we’ll try to get you over there.”
Meanwhile, the water kept rising.
By the time rescuers reached Turner's mother a little before midnight, the water was up to her neck. To reach her, they had to cut a hole through the floor of the apartment above hers and pull her through the ceiling.
“She was standing in a sink” to keep above the rising water, Turner said. “At 87 years old.”
“She lost everything,” Turner said. “I’m going over to the bank to get some money to buy her some shoes, some clothes, some underwear. We’ve got to go get her medicine, everything.”
QUEENS
Pinned in the door of her boyfriend’s sub-basement apartment in Queens, Darlene Hsu struggled to keep her head above water and screamed for help.
Friends, neighbors and building staff dialed 911 for 40 minutes, but couldn’t get through, said her ex-husband, Dennis Hsu. He said Darlene’s boyfriend — the superintendent of the building — ultimately called a friend on the police force for help, and emergency responders arrived about 40 minutes after that. By then, it was too late.
Dennis Hsu said he’s angry about the delays — angry the 911 system failed, and angry at people who ignored storm warnings and required rescue from flooded roadways, which diverted emergency resources.
“What are you guys doing on the highway? You’re putting other people’s lives at risk,” he said.
Darlene Hsu had worked for a property management company and enjoyed sunbathing, swimming, arts and crafts and playing with children.
Hsu described his former wife as a “very kind and lovable person.”
WOODBURY, Conn.
Sgt. Brian Mohl, a 26-year veteran of the Woodbury department, called for help about 3:30 a.m. Thursday. His cruiser had been swept away.
Police searched the area with divers, helicopters, boats and drones.
Finally, after daybreak, they found his body in the swollen river. First responders worked on him, but he was pronounced dead at a hospital.
“His tragic loss is a reminder of the dangers that state troopers and first responders put themselves in every day when responding to emergencies, and they deserve our utmost respect,” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said in a written statement. “Sergeant Mohl served the people of Connecticut with honor and commitment, and for that he will have our eternal gratitude and respect.”
QUEENS
The storm was raging, and Knrishah “Nick” Ramskriet, who lived in a basement apartment in Queens, called a friend to say he and his family were leaving.
He wasn’t heard from again.
“We thought he was OK. But my son called him the next morning and couldn’t reach him,” said his friend’s mother, Ahilia Arjun.
Later came the heartbreaking news: Nick and his mother never made it out of their flooded apartment.
He had ambitions of going to school to learn plumbing or some other trade, or maybe to become an engineer, Arjun said.
“Nick was like a son to me,” she said.
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