CRAWFORD COUNTY (KFSM) - Five people were rescued from swift water in Crawford County on Monday afternoon (May 25) before 4:30 p.m., according to the Crawford County Sheriff's Office.
An unnamed man, his 12-year-old daughter and three other boys were caught in a creek near Independence Road southwest of Natural Dam, according to authorities.
Lynn Thompson assisted with the rescue.
"They were desperate and they were very glad to see me," Thompson said. "There's this young man, he's cut and bruised, and I could tell he had been in the water for a long time."
Thompson said he grabbed a rope and got in the water to help before emergency crews responded.
"[The man] held [his daughter] in that rushing water," he said. "The water was hitting him so hard [it was] almost coming over his shoulder."
Thompson said he doesn't feel like a hero, but he'll remember the experience for years to come.
"It will change your life," he said. "Just doing something like that gives you a whole new perspective on what you do everyday. All the little things are important [and] shouldn't be taken for granted."
Thompson said he sees the area where the rescue took place flood at least 10 times a year.