In one photo, Johnny Lauders 86-year-old mother is in her Florida home, submerged nearly to her shoulders in black murky water, staring straight at the camera, mouth open.
In another, she lies just above the waterline on a table, wrapped in sheets to keep warm. In yet another, shes being pushed through the water in a wheelchair, her rescue nearly complete.
The photos were taken after Hurricane Ian made landfall last Wednesday, bringing a powerful storm surge and 150 mph (241 kph) winds. They tell the story of Lauders journey to save his mother, Karen Lauder, from the home she refused to leave, despite the familys pleading .
He sent the short videos and photos to his family, letting them know he was OK.
Thats how I unintentionally documented the whole ordeal, he said.
Before the storm hit, Lauder said his mother who lost a leg and requires a wheelchair kicked and screamed and said she didnt want to leave her home in Naples, Florida. We didnt evacuate because we couldnt leave her behind, he explained.
She did not expect the level of destruction Ian would bring. Speaking from his sons home on Tuesday, Lauder said his moms house had flooded about 6 inches (15 centimeters) deep during Hurricane Irma in 2017, so she assumed a similar outcome with Ian.
Instead, Ian ravaged Florida as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S. and sent more than 3 feet (91 centimeters) of water around her home, trapping her inside. She called her son for help.
She said the water was up to her wheelchair and hitting her belly button, Lauder said. He was sheltering at his sons house, a half mile (0.8 km) from his mom.
Lauder, who said he has rescue diver training, dove out the window. He swam, walked, waded and kicked through water for about 45 minutes to get to her house. He said a van and a couple cars floated past him as he steered clear of sparking electric poles.
Lauder said he heard his mother screaming as he approached.
It was a sense of terror and relief at the same time, he said. The terror was that I didnt know if something was falling on her or if she was trapped and hurt. But the relief was knowing that theres still air in her lungs.
(AP)
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