Texas flooding: Burnet County resident risks his life to help save others

Flooding devastation in Burnet County

Along Hamilton Creek, we're seeing trees toppled over, debris is just scattered everywhere here. Now, the floodwaters actually poured into one neighborhood where a man jumped to save his neighbors.

BURNET COUNTY, Texas - We’ve seen more devastation in Burnet County. Along Hamilton creek, you can see trees toppled over and debris scattered everywhere. The floodwaters poured into one neighborhood. A man said he risked his life to help his neighbors.

Burnet County resident risks his life to help others during flooding

What they're saying:

"I never seen anything like it was so quick so rapid. It was like a tidal wave."

Neighbors living in Hamilton Creek Manor woke up in a panic when the creek nearby overflowed —causing major flooding.

Ricky Reed explained those terrifying moments.

"I looked out, the water was coming in. I tried to shut the door real quick, it wouldn’t shut because the pressure was so much. So, I came around this way, and by the time I got through this hallway, it was rushing in this direction. I sat down on my bed right here, put on shirt, pants, shoes, and the water was about right here. So, I came out the door, grabbed my wallet and my car keys, water by the time the door opened, water was rushing out that way," said Reed. 

Families are salvaging what they can and cleaning up the mess left behind. Reed says right now 32 out of the 40 units here are unlivable. He said they had minutes to escape, and he helped his neighbors get to safety.

"I ran around and woke up my neighbors. And then she and daughter, who called me to look out the front door, we got in my truck, and went over to the church and got to high ground. Thunder, lightning was terrible," said Reed. "It happened in an instant, you had minutes to get out. Within five minutes, it was life or death. I could not sit here and let the water carry us away, and not help my friends, I wanted to make sure they got out. If I had lost my life, if I got them, I feel good about it."