Three Young Heroes Save San Angelo Woman From Drowning

San Angleoans are all too familiar with how dangerous the roads in this town can become during heavy rains. Southwest Boulevard, in particular, has seen numerous cars get swept away by the heavy current that is always associated with flooding.

On the night of May 18, 2015, what was almost a fatal accident for a San Angelo woman, became a story of heroism and bravery for three young adults.

Chris Burney, Cristian Alvarado, and Magen Cantrell were working at the McDonald's on Southwest that night when they witnessed the woman's car being swept under the current of the flood waters.

In a letter, daughters Kim Harrison and Paula Mailloux stated that their mother was on her way to pick up a friend from the airport at 11 p.m. The rain was not severe when she departed her residence in the Bluffs, but once she reached Southwest, “the rain became extremely heavy and visibility became almost zero,” they wrote.

Their mother decided to head home, and knowing that the low areas of the back roads would be flooded, she thought Southwest to Loop 306 would be best. However, the daughters said “she had forgotten about the draw near the loop.”

They continued, “As she neared the loop, her car was swept off the road. [McDonald's] workers who were watching the torrential rain witnessed the incident and immediately ran to help.”

Alvarado stated that he had just gotten off of work that night, but decided to wait out the rain for a while. When he went outside to move his car, that is when he noticed the vehicle becoming victim to the dangerous road.

“I saw a car trying to go through the water so I banged on the window to get someone's attention. Chris and Magen came running outside,” he stated. “Magen jumped in, but was almost completely under the water, so I got her out.”

The vehicle then started to be drug off by the current, but became stuck on a cement ledge. Alvarado continued, “We tried so hard to get her out of the car; tried breaking the window but nothing happened. We tried and tried to get the door open, and finally somehow it opened.”

Alvarado said that he quickly pulled her from the car and then they all returned to McDonald's.

“We took her inside and comforted her for a while,” he noted. “Not 10 minutes after, the car was completely submerged under water.”

Alvarado made sure that his coworkers got home safe and took the woman home safely as well. He added, “She said 'I greatly appreciate your help.' Then I went home and prayed and thanked God that nobody was hurt in any way.”

The letter that Harrison and Mailloux wrote reached City Council, and at Monday's meeting, the three brave individuals were honored and deemed heroes.

“I don't consider myself a hero, honestly,” Alvarado said. “I think if anyone else were in my shoes, they would have done the same thing. I just consider this an act of kindness.”