Cleveland County teenager escapes floodwaters after truck was swept away
A Cleveland County teen escaped a flash flood after his truck was swept away by rising waters.
![KOCO logo]()
Updated: 6:44 AM CDT Aug 12, 2024
FIVE’S DAKOTA WARR ACRES HAS THE STORY. CHECK IT OUT. TURN AROUND. DON’T DROWN WHAT THEY SAY I SHOULD HAVE DEFINITELY THOUGHT OF THAT IN THE MOMENT. I’M SO GRATEFUL. SO GRATEFUL. THANK YOU GOD THAT HE’S STILL HERE. BRAYDEN AND AARON MADDEN HAD NO IDEA WHAT THEIR SUNDAY WOULD BE AFTER BRAYDEN LEFT HIS NEARBY HOME. DRIVING ON THIS ROAD, GOING TO WORK, EVENTUALLY VEERING OFF INTO THIS CREEK HERE BECAUSE OF FLASH FLOODING. BRAYDEN SAYING HE ALMOST LOST HIS LIFE. I JUST TRIED TO PUSH THROUGH IT, REALIZE IT WAS GETTING TOO DEEP, TRIED TO BACK OUT, BUT IT WAS JUST IT WAS TOO. YEAH. BRAYDEN MADDEN, A 17 YEAR OLD NOBLE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, SAYING HE MADE A DECISION. HE REGRETS HE AND HIS TRUCK TAKING OVER THIS BRIDGE’S GUARDRAIL AFTER DRIVING INTO FLASH FLOODING. IT JUST KIND OF CARRIED ME OVER THERE. AND THEN WATER JUST KIND OF STARTED TO COME THROUGH THE BOTTOM, AND THEN IT JUST STARTED TO FLOOD IN THE TEENAGER CRAWLING THROUGH A WINDOW AND TAKING SHELTER ON HIS ROOF FROM THE RISING WATER, WHERE HE SAYS HE SAT FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR WITH RAIN POURING DOWN. EVENTUALLY HAVING SERVICE, CALLING HIS PARENTS FOR HELP, EVEN SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS. WHEN I PULLED UP IN, HIS TRUCK WASN’T HERE WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. I THOUGHT WE LOST HIM. I LOST IT, I STARTED BAWLING, I THOUGHT HE DROWNED UPSIDE DOWN IN HIS TRUCK. JUST THE WORST. AARON BRADEN’S DAD GETTING TO HIS SON AS FAST AS HE COULD WITH SEVERAL FIRST RESPONDERS ON SCENE, TRYING TO FIND BRAYDEN. EVENTUALLY, THE BIGGEST HELP OF BRADEN’S RESCUE ARRIVED. AN AIRBOAT FROM A RANDOM CLEVELAND COUNTY RESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO THANK HIM FOR GETTING ME OUT OF THERE. I MEAN, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT THERE FOR WHO KNOWS HOW LONG. I MEAN, FOR HIM, STEPPING IN IS LIKE, THAT IS LIKE A HERO. I’VE NEVER MET THE MAN. HE’S A LIFE SAYING THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR SAVING MY SON. AND IF YOU EVER FIND YOURSELF SEEING WATERS LIKE THESE, TURN AROUND. DON’T DROWN
Cleveland County teenager escapes floodwaters after truck was swept away
A Cleveland County teen escaped a flash flood after his truck was swept away by rising waters.
![KOCO logo]()
Updated: 6:44 AM CDT Aug 12, 2024
A Cleveland County family was grateful after their son escaped flash flooding that swept his truck away on Sunday morning.Brayden Madden, a 17-year-old Noble High School student, was driving to work when he encountered the floodwaters. Madden had just left his house, which is not far from the creek that overflowed due to heavy rain. He said he saw the water but did not think it was too high. Madden made a decision he now regrets but survived. The floodwaters carried his truck over a bridge and through the creek to where it eventually came to rest.He had to take shelter from the strong current by climbing on top of his truck. He said he feared for his life as the water surged around him. "That current was fast. I knew if I had lost balance or slipped, I was probably gone because that current was really strong," Madden said. "I mean, all of this was kind of like a lake. It was all -- it was bad." >> Download the KOCO 5 AppThe flooding in Cleveland County followed a significant amount of rain on Sunday morning. The incident highlights the dangers of flash flooding and the importance of heeding warnings about rising waters. Top Headlines Oklahoma sees flooding issues after morning storms American gymnast Jordan Chiles must return bronze medal after court mandates score change, IOC says Grandma among families preparing to send students back to class Oklahoma teachers facing challenges going into new school year Paris Olympics: Records made and milestones for Team USA
CLEVELAND COUNTY, Okla. — A Cleveland County family was grateful after their son escaped flash flooding that swept his truck away on Sunday morning.
Brayden Madden, a 17-year-old Noble High School student, was driving to work when he encountered the floodwaters. Madden had just left his house, which is not far from the creek that overflowed due to heavy rain.
He said he saw the water but did not think it was too high. Madden made a decision he now regrets but survived.
The floodwaters carried his truck over a bridge and through the creek to where it eventually came to rest.
He had to take shelter from the strong current by climbing on top of his truck. He said he feared for his life as the water surged around him.
"That current was fast. I knew if I had lost balance or slipped, I was probably gone because that current was really strong," Madden said. "I mean, all of this was kind of like a lake. It was all -- it was bad."
>> Download the KOCO 5 App
The flooding in Cleveland County followed a significant amount of rain on Sunday morning. The incident highlights the dangers of flash flooding and the importance of heeding warnings about rising waters.
Top Headlines
