Sheriff rescues local resident from rising water

Whitley County Sheriff Todd Shelley waded into the rescue efforts occurring across Whitley County Thursday, carrying an elderly woman from the rising water in her home.

Whitley County Sheriff Todd Shelley carried a woman to safety last week as rising floodwaters began to seep into her home.

Shelley said he and some of his deputies had responded to several calls on Ky. 1804 off of U.S. 25W when a call came in concerning a man and woman facing rising water inside their home.

Shelley said he took off his gun belt and went inside to help the residents. After helping the man, who walked with a cane, make it outside, Shelley returned for the woman. In a fashion similar to 2017, when he pulled a woman from her flooding car on Ky. 11, Shelley threw the woman over his shoulder and carried her to safety.

“I always put service above self, and try to lead by example” Shelley said emphasizing that it has been a team effort by all of the first-responders in Whitley County that has kept residents safe during the flooding.

“So many of them have put in long hours,” Shelley said of local law enforcement, firefighters, dispatchers, EMS, and emergency management.

Shelley is asking residents to continue to pray for their friends, neighbors and all of the people affected by the flooding, along with the first responders who continue to respond as needed.

“It is all about the good Lord,” Shelley said.