Former Coloradan risks life to save woman in Hurricane Helene flooding

ASHE COUNTY, N.C. — A former Colorado resident risked his life to rescue a woman who was nearly swept away by the floodwaters of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. 

Eddie Hunnell, who lived in Longmont for almost 20 years before moving to Holly Springs, North Carolina, in June, leapt into action during a wedding weekend that turned into a heroic rescue.

A video of Hunnell jumping into the raging New River to save Lesley Worth has since gone viral. Reflecting on the experience, Hunnell said his years in Colorado helped him make the life-saving decision. His experience fly fishing in Colorado’s rivers taught him that a canoe wouldn’t stand a chance against that current.

Hunnell and his family were in Ashe County last weekend for his son’s wedding at the River House Inn when torrential rain from Hurricane Helene drenched the area. 

“About 9:30 p.m., we lost power, which also meant we lost running water,” Hunnell recalled. “The river started coming up around noon, to the point where it was crossing the road.”

As the storm worsened, a local man rushed into the inn, alerting the wedding party that a woman was trapped in her house up the street. Hunnell, along with several others, rushed to help.

The woman was Lesley Worth. Separated from her husband, Phil, by the floodwaters, she was trapped inside their house as the river quickly rose to over 10 feet. The video shows the powerful current lifting the house off its foundation as Hunnell and others shouted at Worth to jump.

“What was going through my head when that house started moving was, she’s got to get out of that house. It’s going to collapse, and it’ll kill her,” Hunnell said.

Phil Worth, chest-deep in water and without a life jacket, was desperately trying to reach his wife. But Hunnell, aware that Hurricane Helene’s death toll already surpassing 200, knew Phil wouldn’t survive without a life vest. That’s when Hunnell made his move.

“I couldn’t watch her just float by… So, I jumped in,” Hunnell said.

The video captures the audible gasps of the wedding party as Hunnell leaps into the water. Drawing on muscle memory from his days as a high school lifeguard, he swam toward Worth. 

“I grabbed her from behind her life vest… At that point, I started swimming as hard as I could, perpendicular towards the shore,” said Hummell.

The two made it to safety. Worth gave Hunnell a hug before they even out of the water.

“We were all just standing there looking at each other in shock,” Hunnell recalled.

Despite the storm and the shock, the wedding rehearsal dinner went on as planned, and Phil and Lesley joined in. 

Even without power or running water.

“None of us had had a shower,” Hunnell laughed, “I changed into my nicer clothes for the rehearsal dinner, smelling like river.”

Later that night, the gravity of the situation hit him. 

“Lying in bed, I have three kids and a son getting married the next day… I don’t want to orphan them… I don’t know. It just hit me that maybe I could have died,” Hunnell reflected.

Despite the chaos of the weekend, Hunnell said his son had a perfect wedding. 

“It wasn’t as planned, but it was perfect,” he said, adding that the family eventually found nearby hotels where they could shower.

In a photograph taken after the rescue, Hunnell can be seen wearing a Bolder Boulder 10K shirt — a nod to his years in Colorado. Hunnell has remained in touch with the Worths, and he’s now raising funds for the couple, who lost everything in the flood. He started a fundraiser to help the victims of Hurricane Helene rebuild their lives: Fundraiser by Eddie Hunnell: Help Ashe County flood victims rebuild from Helene (gofundme.com)

Looking back, Hunnell expressed gratitude for the calm after the storm. 

“There’s so many disastrous stories, people are looking for something good to come out of it, and this is one of them,” he said, tearing up.

Hunnell plans to visit Phil and Lesley again in the coming weeks as they continue to rebuild after the flood.