Alabama Father Survives Being Sucked Into Drain During Storm

While trying to retrieve his son’s soccer balls amid heavy rain, a father in Alabama was unexpectedly pulled into a drainage pipe and carried away by swiftly flowing water. He described the terrifying experience as life-threatening and considered it a near-death event.

During a stormy night, Drew Owen noticed his son’s soccer balls floating away from his yard. Wading into a steep ditch to retrieve them, he lost his footing and was quickly swept into a nearby drainage pipe filled with water. The force of the water pushed him over 500 feet beneath Highway 11 and railroad tracks, leaving him unsure if he would survive the journey.

As he was pulled through the pipe, Owen struggled to breathe against the rushing water, which was flowing so strongly that he could hardly gasp for air. He recounted praying for the ordeal to end and contemplating the irony that he might die on the night before his father’s funeral.

Eventually, Owen emerged on the other side of the pipe, battered but alive. He managed to stop himself by grabbing a small tree branch, which he credits for saving his life — despite his large size and the fragility of the branch. He sustained minor scratches and bruises but was otherwise unharmed.

Owen expressed immense gratitude for his survival, attributing it to divine intervention. He reflected on how close he came to tragedy, thinking about his family and the future, and was relieved that he and his loved ones escaped unharmed. His experience highlights the extreme dangers of floodwaters and the importance of safety during severe storms.