Fox reporter Bob Van Dillen is being hailed a "hero" after interrupting his own live broadcast to rescue a woman stranded in the floodwaters behind him.
A brief recording of the daring moment was uploaded to TikTok by one viewer, who managed to capture it by filming the TV screen with their cell phone.
It was an Atlanta-based broadcast for Fox & Friends , with the meteorologist covering the rapidly rising water level from Hurricane Helene early on Friday, Sept. 27.
The sky was still dark as Van Dillen stood before a road covered in murky brown water, which rose nearly halfway up the height of a street sign. He tried to continue with his report, having already called 911 for a woman stranded in her car in the background, but ultimately cut himself off to "go see if I can help this lady a little bit more."
The cameraman continued to film, eventually showing Van Dillen wading through the water up to his chest with the woman clinging to his back. As reporters at the studio narrated the replay, they revealed that Van Dillen is about 6'4", putting the water at about 5 feet high, at least.
Later that day, the meteorologist spoke with his colleagues , explaining what went through his head as he decided to tread through the dangerous waters.
"I know that we're swamped here with all of the 911 calls because there are so many high-water rescues that we’ve already documented so far… [she] called 911 and, five minutes, 10 minutes, and you could hear screaming, right? You could hear through my live shot, real loud," Van Dillen told Steve Doocy .
He took his wallet out of his pants and waded in, sharing that although the current was swift, the temperature "wasn't that bad."
When he reached the woman, still strapped into her seatbelt, he said the water was up to her neck. He coached her through exiting the car and even took her phone and bags before carrying her to safety, where he gave her a dry shirt and sat her in their car to warm up until the fire department arrived 20 minutes later.
Viewers were touched by his "kind" gesture, with one writing, "This moved me to tears. Thank god he was there and helped her."
"this made me cry. why can't all people be this kind?" another asked, while someone else said, "Bob, you are a hero!! ❤️," and a third called him "an amazing human being!!!"
"We need more people in this world like Bob," another commenter declared. "so sweet and glad they're both okay!"
"THIS should be the America blasted on the news," someone else agreed, calling for more good news. "God bless Bob and all of those who lend help especially in times like these."
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