During the chaos brought on by Tropical Storm Helene, FOX Weather meteorologist Bob Van Dillen found himself in the middle of an unexpected rescue mission. As Atlanta faced its wettest three-day period in over a century, Van Dillen didn’t hesitate to leap into action when he heard a woman’s cries for help from Peach Tree Creek.

On Friday morning, with Atlanta under its first-ever Flash Flood Emergency, the storm had already flooded roads and homes, leaving many in life-threatening danger. Van Dillen was reporting live on the storm’s aftermath when he noticed a woman stranded in her vehicle, trapped by the rapidly rising floodwaters.

He immediately called 911 but knew time was running out as the water kept climbing, as reported by Fox Weather.

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“I just put the microphone down and called 911,” Van Dillen recalled.”I know that those guys are swamped, so we waited about five minutes. She was getting panicked a little bit more because the water was coming up a little bit higher.”

At 6 feet 1 inch tall, Van Dillen waded into chest-deep water, battling strong currents to reach the woman. Despite the dangers, he pulled her from the vehicle and carried her through the floodwaters to a safer area.

“The water is like 80 degrees, but I’m freezing,” Van Dillen said, describing the chilling conditions despite the temperature. “She was alone, strapped into her car. I know she was cold.”

After the rescue, Van Dillen remained calm and humble, downplaying his heroic efforts. “Her husband picked her up, and she’s all good,” he said. “But the story now shifts to the amount of flooding we’ve seen. I mean … amazing amounts coming in.”

Peachtree Creek, where the rescue took place, had reached its third-highest recorded level. Just earlier that morning, high-water rescues were carried out about a mile upstream as dozens of people were evacuated from a flooded apartment complex.

The same floodwaters continued to move downstream, nearing the Northside Drive bridge.

Unfortunately, the toll from Tropical Storm Helene continues to rise. In Colquitt County, a person tragically lost their life when their vehicle collided with a fallen tree. Widespread damage has also been reported, with emergency officials working tirelessly to assess the destruction.

In Wheeler County, at least two more deaths have been confirmed, linked to the tornado warnings issued during the storm. A mobile home was damaged, resulting in further tragedy.

As the storm moves northward, Atlanta can finally begin to assess the damage and recover from this historic flooding event.