Drew Owen of Trussville, Alabama, was nearly killed after being swept into a storm drain during heavy flooding on June 27, 2025. He was retrieving his children’s soccer balls when floodwaters pulled him into a hidden drainpipe. “I’m 6’2, 235 lbs, and it sucked me up like a twig,” he said.

Trapped underwater for up to 45 seconds and pulled 100 yards beneath a highway, Drew feared the worst. “I honestly was saying my goodbyes,” he shared, adding he thought of his kids and missing his father’s funeral the next day. He finally surfaced and grabbed a tree to stop himself from being dragged further.

Bruised and battered, Drew said the scariest part was imagining if his children had been the ones pulled under. “They would’ve most likely drown,” he said. Now, he and his wife Kasey are urging officials to install grates on open drains.

“We’re just so thankful I have my husband and my kids have their dad,” Kasey added. Trussville officials are reviewing safety measures to prevent future tragedies.