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Intense video shows a Dallas school bus driver and bus monitor save children from flooded street

They tied seatbelts together to reel in the children to safety.

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School bus driver, bus monitor save children from flood.

Parts of the south are getting drenched with rain. Some states, like Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, have experienced so much rain over the past couple of weeks that residents may need to invest in an ark. In Dallas, the rain had gotten so bad that parts of the city were flooding, and that's when a school bus driver and bus monitor became heroes. Tekendria Valentine and Simone Edmond were taking an alternate route back to the bus lot because of the flooding when they noticed two children clinging to a tree in rushing water.

The women stopped the bus and went to help the kids and it was all caught on tape. Valentine and Edmond drive a bus for special needs children, so the bus is installed with removable seatbelts to safely buckle children who need wheelchairs. The women unhooked the seatbelts and tied them together to use as a rope to help pull the kids to safety. Thankfully, they weren't alone. Neighbors jumped in to help the two women save the children from being swept away. Before long, the children were out of harm's way and the tearful boy asked if he could hug one of the women that helped him and his sister.

Watch the heartwarming moment below:

I'm so glad this story had a happy ending. While it still seems to be unclear who the children were, I hope they're safely back at school and things have dried up. As for the women, the school district has hailed them as heroes and I couldn't agree more.

From Your Site Articles

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11 stories of hope and resilience in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

Natural disasters bring out the worst of Mother Nature but the best of humanity.

Hurricane Harvey is no exception.

The massive storm made landfall in Texas on Aug. 25, inundating the Houston metro area with record-breaking floodwaters and high winds. To avoid chaos on the highways, there was no mass evacuation order for the city's 2.3 million residents. But most homes and buildings were no match for the unprecedented storm.

Photo by Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images.

Local first responders and the Coast Guard are working around the clock to rescue people from roofs and attics as the waters rise. But their numbers and resources, particularly those of the aquatic variety, are limited.

Thankfully, there are ordinary heroes among us too.

These are the people who aren't afraid to step up and lend a hand, even in the face of danger or uncertainty. Here are 11 of their stories.

1. Abe Minor planned to rescue his friends. Soon, he was rescuing dozens more.

Once his friends were safe, Minor kept going, rescuing as many as 20 different people and their pets. And he's going back out today.

— (@)

2. Cole Geeo put his monster truck to good use and went out to help.

Geeo saw the coverage on the news and knew he (and his 8-foot-tall truck) could be of assistance. Using a few ladders, Geeo was able to help his neighbor Deborah Wright get down from her second floor and into his truck.

"That's a redneck rescue, I do believe," Wright's coworker Dina Young Gray told local ABC affiliate WFAA.

3. Even 15-year-old Declan took to the water to help his neighbors in the Meyerland area of Houston.

Way to go, Declan!

— (@)

4. These men waded into waist-deep water to help a stranger clinging tight to a road sign.

They used a refrigerator as a float to get to the man, then created a human chain to get through the rushing water.

— (@)

5. This preacher went door-to-door to make sure nobody was stranded in these submerged cars.

When it was time to step up, he put his values into action.

— (@)

6. Animals are in dire need, too. That's why Alicia Plunkett did her part to keep Houston's bats from drowning.

It may sound small, but in the wake of the storm and standing water, the region will be be inundated with mosquitos and the diseases they carry. Bats can assist with that problem, but only if they're alive to help.

— (@)

7. Storm tracker Aaron Jayjack found a lost dog. And his story has a yappy, er, happy ending.

Jayjack stopped for gas, and the sweet pup jumped into his car. Jayjack used social media to help find the dog's owner, and the pair was reunited.

8. Local and national journalists continue to prove their mettle during this storm. A local news team helped first responders save the life of a stranded trucker.

The powerful moment of everyday heroics was captured by the crew.

9. And CNN correspondent Ed Lavandera joined local college student Austin Seth on his civilian search-and-rescue mission.

Lavandera continued to report the story while rescuing families and helping them into Seth's flatboat.

— (@)

10. As a thank you to the reporters covering the storm and its aftermath, this woman delivered a six-pack on air.

It may not be strictly heroic, but in a weekend full of hardship, uncertainty, and tragedy, a little levity can go a long way.

— (@)

11. Once people are rescued, they need a place to go. This screenwriter stepped up to run a shelter.

When the community of Rockport opened a shelter at an elementary school but didn't leave anyone in charge, screenwriter Zachary Dearing stepped up to the challenge. With no emergency response training, he took stock of the situation and recruited volunteers to help people get resources and organize visitors. Bravo!

Whether you're driving a flatboat around Houston picking up strangers or sending money from Seattle, there are plenty of ways to help communities devastated by this storm.

You don't need a cape or even a uniform to be a hero, just a willingness to lend a hand. Here are a few places to start.

Because near or far, when natural disasters happen, we're in this together. Thanks to everyone doing their part.

Photo by Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images.

Houston reporter Brandi Smith saved a life while covering Hurricane Harvey.

We can all be heroes.

There's a lot of bad news coming out of Houston, but one local news team's quick thinking helped save the life of a stranded truck driver as the waters rose.

While covering Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath, KHOU reporter Brandi Smith and photographer Mario Sandoval spotted a man trapped inside the cab of his semi truck below a north Houston overpass. With flood waters rising, it looked like just a matter of time before the driver would be trapped, forced underwater, and possibly killed.

Smith yelled out to the driver, but there didn't seem to be much she or Sandoval could do from their position on the overpass.

The situation looked grim.

[rebelmouse-image 19530897 dam="1" original_size="750x390" caption="Brandi Smith reporting from the scene, where she witnessed this truck in trouble. Images via KHOU 11/YouTube." expand=1]Brandi Smith reporting from the scene, where she witnessed this truck in trouble. Images via KHOU 11/YouTube.

Suddenly, they spotted a Harris County Sheriff's Office truck, towing a rescue boat, driving in their direction.

Smith waved down the passing truck, pointing them in the direction of the stranded driver. While the broadcast cut before the man was rescued — because the KHOU studio had flooded and was being evacuated — Smith later confirmed via Twitter that the rescue operation was a success and posted a follow-up clip:

As many of you know, KHOU 11 News was evacuated due to flooding. That meant my photographer Mario and I were the only ones left on air for ... well ... I don't even know how long. The #KHOU11 signal cut out just as Harris County Sheriff's Office crews got their rescue boat in the water to pull a semi driver out of his flooded cab. I've had SO many people asking if he made it out OK and I wanted to share the video. (We kept going and rolling until the camera's battery died, not knowing we'd been knocked off the air.) They pull him out around the 4:40 mark. THANK GOD for that crew.
Posted by Brandi Smith KHOU on Sunday, August 27, 2017

"First, thank you to everyone who has reached out," Smith tweeted. "We are safe and so is Robert, the driver who was rescued."

"Second, all the credit for that rescue goes to photographer Mario Sandoval, who spotted the truck, and HCSO crews who rescued the driver. Amazing work, you guys."

Smith flags down a passing truck, bringing the situation to the attention of local law enforcement.

It's easy to lose hope in the midst of unparalleled destruction. But let's not forget the everyday heroes among us.

This act by Smith, Sandoval, and the Harris County Sheriff's Office is just one of dozens or even hundreds of examples of everyday heroism that will come to public attention in the days and weeks following the storm.

For those of us who aren't on the ground in Texas, there's still a lot we can do to help. The Houston Chronicle put together a list of organizations that need donations for victims and evacuees.

— (@)

You can watch the powerful and harrowing beginning of the rescue below.

Our weather may be getting stronger, but that doesn't mean we're getting weaker.

Over the weekend, Maryland was hit by a historically epic flood. Ellicott City saw over six inches of rain in under two hours.

The flash floods tore into buildings and turned the city's streets into rivers, putting anyone stuck in a car in a dire situation.

Jamie Knight was one such driver, who was pulled from her car by a few brave locals acting quickly to form a human chain.

Jason Barnes, a local toy store owner, had just lost all his merchandise in the flood when he decided to risk his own life for a complete stranger. Barnes' stepfather, Chris Penning, told WBAL-TV that owning a toy store had been his stepson's dream 10 years in the making, second only to writing comics about superheroes.

In the face of all his efforts being washed away, however, Barnes became a real-life superhero. He didn't think twice as he plunged into the raging flood waters to save Knight, who had gotten locked in her car as it was being carried away.

Barnes heading out into the flood waters. GIFs via Ark News/YouTube.

The whole ordeal was caught on camera, and the resulting video is pretty incredible. At one point during the rescue, Barnes lost his footing and almost got swept away in the raging floodwaters.

Thanks to teamwork and gumption, the two other men anchoring him to the building got him back on his feet and the trio managed to get Knight out through her car window and onto slightly dryer land.

It's inspiring to see people banding together to save a life, especially in the face of a natural disaster so extreme it only happens once in 1,000 years.

There really are heroes everywhere. And while this incredible rescue is worth celebrating, it's important to remember these dangerous weather situations are happening more and more often as a result of our changing climate.

Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images.

As such, it's time we use this heroic nature so many of us possess, pool our collective efforts, and pull our planet back from the proverbial precipice.

If these three men were strong enough to save one life from flood-force currents, then surely the rest of us banding together have enough power to turn things around on a global scale too.

Watch the entire awesome rescue below:

Usually, monster trucks do this...

Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for MetLife.

And when they're not doing ... whatever that is ... they're presumably sleeping. In monster garages. Or getting their monster oil checked by monster mechanics.

Celebrity monster trucks like "Grave Digger," "Spiderman," and "Higher Education," (which is a monster school bus) can be seen at events like Monster Jam, which is attended by millions of people every year. They jump around, flip over, roll on top of cars, and engage in other high-octane stunts for the cheering masses, all based on their ability to crunch windows, mash steel, and otherwise DESTROYYYYY (cue Mötorhead or something).

The point is, monster trucks are not usually saving people's lives. That is, until two days ago.

Southeast Texas has been dealing with historic and deadly flooding this week. So far, at least seven people have died and over 1,000 homes have been destroyed by water damage.

Photo by STR/AFP/Getty Images.

According to USA Today, all of the tragic deaths occurred after people drove their cars into flooded roads.

Which puts the people of Texas in an incredibly tough position. In many cases, their homes are surrounded by water, but they can't safely flee without risking their lives.

Luckily, Cole Geeo from Parker County, Texas, had an unexpectedly perfect rescue vehicle.

One of these bad boys:

Photo by Luke Frazza/AFP/Getty Images.

Well, sort of. His looks more like this:

F*** yeah. Photo via Nomdesoul/YouTube.

That's right, Geeo broke out his monster truck (or rather, his pick-up truck with raised tires and springs) and drove it straight through the flood...

All GIFs via Adella James/YouTube.

...to rescue Debora Wright, a neighbor who had been stranded on the roof of her home in Millsap.

"That's a redneck rescue I do believe," said Dina Gray, a co-worker of Wright's, who called for help when she found out her friend was stranded.

"It’s just been an adventurous day," Wright said when she finally reached dry land.

As any classic adventure story concludes, the day was saved and our hero Geeo and his monster truck rode off into the sunset.

It's pretty awesome that a monster truck ended up being the perfect tool in this situation.

But not as amazing as the fact that Cole Geeo was ready, willing, and able to help his neighbor when she needed it.

"That’s just how [people in Millsap are]," said Gray. "We just look out for one another ... If this didn’t work, we were going to get a boat."

flood

They tied seatbelts together to reel in the children to safety.

Natural disasters bring out the worst of Mother Nature but the best of humanity.

Thankfully, there are ordinary heroes among us too.

1. Abe Minor planned to rescue his friends. Soon, he was rescuing dozens more.

2. Cole Geeo put his monster truck to good use and went out to help.

3. Even 15-year-old Declan took to the water to help his neighbors in the Meyerland area of Houston.

4. These men waded into waist-deep water to help a stranger clinging tight to a road sign.

5. This preacher went door-to-door to make sure nobody was stranded in these submerged cars.

6. Animals are in dire need, too. That's why Alicia Plunkett did her part to keep Houston's bats from drowning.

7. Storm tracker Aaron Jayjack found a lost dog. And his story has a yappy, er, happy ending.

8. Local and national journalists continue to prove their mettle during this storm. A local news team helped first responders save the life of a stranded trucker.

9. And CNN correspondent Ed Lavandera joined local college student Austin Seth on his civilian search-and-rescue mission.

10. As a thank you to the reporters covering the storm and its aftermath, this woman delivered a six-pack on air.

11. Once people are rescued, they need a place to go. This screenwriter stepped up to run a shelter.

Whether you're driving a flatboat around Houston picking up strangers or sending money from Seattle, there are plenty of ways to help communities devastated by this storm.

We can all be heroes.

There's a lot of bad news coming out of Houston, but one local news team's quick thinking helped save the life of a stranded truck driver as the waters rose.

Suddenly, they spotted a Harris County Sheriff's Office truck, towing a rescue boat, driving in their direction.

It's easy to lose hope in the midst of unparalleled destruction. But let's not forget the everyday heroes among us.

You can watch the powerful and harrowing beginning of the rescue below.

Our weather may be getting stronger, but that doesn't mean we're getting weaker.

Over the weekend, Maryland was hit by a historically epic flood. Ellicott City saw over six inches of rain in under two hours.

Jamie Knight was one such driver, who was pulled from her car by a few brave locals acting quickly to form a human chain.

It's inspiring to see people banding together to save a life, especially in the face of a natural disaster so extreme it only happens once in 1,000 years.

Watch the entire awesome rescue below:

Usually, monster trucks do this...

The point is, monster trucks are not usually saving people's lives. That is, until two days ago.

Luckily, Cole Geeo from Parker County, Texas, had an unexpectedly perfect rescue vehicle.

That's right, Geeo broke out his monster truck (or rather, his pick-up truck with raised tires and springs) and drove it straight through the flood...

...to rescue Debora Wright, a neighbor who had been stranded on the roof of her home in Millsap.

"It’s just been an adventurous day," Wright said when she finally reached dry land.

It's pretty awesome that a monster truck ended up being the perfect tool in this situation.

Watch the video of the whole rescue below: