Johnny Lauder, a former cop, braves the floodwaters generated by Hurricane Ian to save his 84-year-old mother. “In these gloomy times, we need a little light to grin.” ‘I adore such tales, but I never imagined I’d be one,’ Lauder remarked. The 84-year-old mother had refused to go earlier, but the water levels climbed steadily over time. She kept updating her son till it reached her neck. That’s when her son, Johnny Lauder, decided to go to her and get her out of the house with the rest of the family.

He swam out into the flooded street to save his mother, who was four blocks distant. He discovered a life jacket, floating device, and even a kayak that allowed him to safely reach his mother’s house while emotionally suffering inside himself. He jokingly remarks that he was a “aquaman” that day. He videotaped the whole episode and sent photos to his family and his wife, who was in Vegas.

“I wasn’t concerned about myself. “I’m scared about people worrying about me,” the former Chicago cop said. After 40 minutes of driving through the flooded street, he arrived at her home and found her mother shivering but joyful as she spotted her son approaching to save her. She was quickly covered in dry sheets to prevent hypothermia from setting in. Granny was then pushed out of harm’s way in a wheelchair by Xavier, one of Lauder’s sons who had accompanied his father there.

Recalling the whole scenario where he had to push through the perilous waters, especially with his own concerns and the prospect of everything turning into a disaster. “Like a computer, you have two buttons: power and reset,” Johnny said. Thank God, it was my reset button that was pressed, and we can now go on.”