Strangers Step Up To Help Driver Stranded In Gause Boulevard Flooding

SLIDELL, La. A heavy downpour turned part of Gause Boulevard into more of a swimming pool than a roadway today, and at least one driver learned the hard way that cars and deep water don’t mix.

A vehicle stalled in the floodwater in front of Hobby Lobby, leaving the driver stuck in the middle of the roadway as traffic continued moving around them.

But a few people decided to do something different.

Bill Hamilton, Mike Doss, and Doss’ granddaughter took time out of their day to help push the stranded vehicle through the water and safely into the Hobby Lobby parking lot.

And here’s the part that deserves some recognition. Doss and his granddaughter had just experienced trouble themselves. Their own vehicle had locked up in the floodwater. After managing to get their vehicle out, they could have called it a day.

Instead, they turned around and helped somebody else.

No, we didn’t just stand there and watch. We also assisted. I’m only saying that because I know the question would be raised after people see the video. We wanted to get these three on camera because they deserve the credit for taking time out of their day to help a complete stranger. They did the hard work, so the spotlight belongs to them.

It’s a simple thing, but it seems increasingly rare these days. Plenty of people drove around the problem. These three got out and helped solve it.

The flooding itself is another reminder of how quickly heavily developed areas like Gause Boulevard can collect water during an intense downpour. With large amounts of concrete and pavement and less ground available to naturally absorb rainfall, huge amounts of runoff have to make their way into the drainage system very quickly.

When the rain comes down faster than the water can get out, Gause Boulevard can start looking like Gause Bayou in a hurry.

Today, though, the better story wasn’t the flooding.

It was a few strangers taking a few minutes out of their day to help somebody who needed it.