Woman reunited with men who saved her from floodwaters

By Melanie Johnson

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    ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Missouri (KMOV) — A 65-year-old woman was rescued from her sinking car during the historic flooding and was reunited with the three men who saved her life.

“I didn’t want to drown in that car,” says rescued driver Mona Foster. “The water is constantly coming into your car, it gets up to your dashboard and your head is touching the ceiling. I don’t want to die like this.”

Foster was driving to work during the heavy rainfall in July when her car became trapped underwater on Lucas and Hunt Road in North County. Her calls to 911 failed as her car became submerged in the rising floodwaters.

“It feels amazing just to see people coming together. Police and community coming together to save a life,” says Foster.

“Priority seemed to be Mona since she wasn’t able to open her windows or her doors. So I went to work on that window and Steven came in,” says Officer Nathan Phillips of the St. Louis County Police Department.

Phillips helped pull her to safety along with good samaritan Steven Reeves and Foster’s son-in-law.

“You never know what’s in the water. Debris, trees, you can’t see the ground underneath you because it’s so muddy. You don’t know what you’re walking on,” Officer Phillips says.

Reeves rushed to rescue Foster after calling 911 and used his elbow to break the window she had to climb out of to get out.

“He probably would have been out there alone and couldn’t get the lady out the car fast enough,” says Reeves.

DuJuan Bateman jumped in to help after Foster’s family sent him over to bring her home and out of the floodwaters.

“I just took off and really didn’t think about the water or the danger or the current,” says, son-in-law DuJuan Bateman.

On Wednesday, the group reunited outside of the police’s North County precinct.

“Community and police officer came together. He showed great bravery. They all did. Just to save me, “says Foster. “I’m so grateful to God that he sent this help.”

“I feel like a hero,” says Reeves.

Now after saving a life, Reeves wants to make public service his full-time job.

“I always wanted to be a firefighter but now I feel like I want to be a police officer,” he says.

“Proud. I always like when people want to join because it makes you feel like you’re doing the right thing in the job,” says Officer Phillips.

Foster also says she is thankful for the North County family who took her in after the rescue and gave her food, water, blankets and a place to rest.

“You got some people that are kind and good and they just loved on me like they knew me all my life,” she said.

Foster is calling the three men who pulled her from the trapped car her angels. She plans to submit their names for an area heroes award.

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