Skip Boe: The wind started picking up, 50, 60 miles an hour. Then it gets past a hundred miles an hour, and then patio furniture’s passing in front of your face and people’s porches are going by.

And then all of a sudden water just gushed in. 

I went upstairs, to look out the window. Lo and behold, there’s a fishing boat floating by.

So I jumped out the window into the water and swam toward the boat. I tied it off and I said, Imma deal with this in the morning. I took the comforter off of the bed, laid it on the roof. That was my bed for the night.

I just thought I was the only idiot that stayed. 

And then I heard, “Can you help me?” And I shouted, “I’ll get you tomorrow. Right now, can’t do anything at night time.” 

The next day, I proceeded to go get the Drakes who lived on the corner. They was probably in their eighties. She was totally out of it with Alzheimer’s. They had made it to the attic. 

And then I heard my other neighbor calling me. And I kept yelling to him, “I’m coming to you next, Luke.” He just lived with his sister, who was bedridden, and when I pulled up, you could walk on his roof. The boat was gutter high. 

And I said, “Luke, it’s Skip,” but he doesn’t want to come out the attic.

He says, “Don’t you come down here, you killed my sister.” And I said, “No, I didn’t, Luke.” He goes, “Well, she’s downstairs. Why didn’t you save me last night? Get outta here.” 

I think he lost it when he saw his sister get swallowed by water.

Meanwhile, Mr. Drake’s in the boat yelling, “I have to bring my wife to the hospital.” I said, “Luke, look, I’m coming back. Hang in there.” 

So, I left. 

And then I dropped them off to higher ground, that’s when I said, I have to get back to get my buddy that I left. 

And uh, when I got back to Luke, he was dead in the attic. 

I cried. Second guessed myself. I made a decision, I picked the oldest ones first, thinking they were the weakest ones, leaving the strong to survive. And it didn’t work out that way. 

For months after, I was totally beating myself up. 

But later on, uh, I was cutting the grass, and the Drakes that were on the corner, their daughter passed by and said, “I think you saved my parents.” I said, “Yes ma’am, I did.” She goes, “You gave them three more years. I just wanted to tell you thank you.” 

And then I realized why I stayed during the storm, you know, what was the meaning of me staying. And, at least I know that I did the best that a person could have done.