Florida

'Need Help ASAP': Nursing Home Residents Rescued From Flood Waters After Viral Photo

The photo of elderly flood victims seemed so outrageous that some people on social media thought it was fake

Seniors at a Texas nursing home were rescued Sunday after a dramatic image of elderly residents sitting in waist-deep floodwaters went viral.

The photo was taken inside La Vita Bella assisted living home in Dickinson located just southeast of Houston.

Kim McIntosh told NBC News her mother runs the facility. McIntosh, who lives in Florida, said she received the photo early Sunday from her mother, Trudy Lampson, after she inquired about their safety as Harvey continued to ravage Houston.

[NATL] Dramatic Images: Floods Hit as Harvey Drenches Texas

Harvey, which made landfall late Friday as a Category 4 hurricane and has continued to drop heavy rain as a tropical storm, sent devastating floods pouring into Houston and surrounding towns on Sunday. The rising water chased thousands of people to rooftops or higher ground and overwhelmed rescuers who could not keep up with the constant calls for help, The Associated Press reported.

McIntosh’s husband, Timothy McIntosh, determined their best hope to get help to the nursing home would be to post the photo online. He tweeted the photo just before 10 a.m. ET Sunday, along with a desperate plea for help.

"La vita Bella nursing home in Dickinson Texas is almost underwater with nursing home patients," the first tweet read. "Need help asap emergency services please RETWEET," McIntosh wrote a few minutes later.

https://twitter.com/DividendsMGR/status/901805772635561984

The now-viral photo showed at least six residents sitting waist-deep in murky floodwaters. One elderly woman, sitting in a large chair, knitted while water came up to her elbows.

The photo seemed so outrageous that some Twitter users questioned if it was fake. McIntosh fired back, noting his mother-in-law was among those trapped in need of help.

"What we need is help not doubters. This involves our own family. We are in Fl.," McIntosh‏ wrote.

https://twitter.com/DividendsMGR/status/901830108184543233

Galveston Office of Emergency Services spokeswoman Brittany Viegas confirmed to NBC News that 15 people were rescued from La Vita Bella nursing home on Sunday.

McIntosh thanked the Galveston OEM and the National Guard for their rescue efforts and "all the true believers that retweeted and got the news organizations involved. It pushed La Vita Bella to #1 on the priority list," he tweeted.

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