Adair County Woman Rescued From Floodwaters

An Adair County woman is thanking the Lord and people who rescued her after floodwaters swept her car away and she had to hold on to a tree in a rushing creek.

Nita Partain is 71 years old, and she still works five days a week. She said she didn't see the high water until it was too late. She had to cling to a tree for three hours before rescuers got to her.

Nita Partain works dark and early in the morning and Thursday she headed to work during the major floods. “I did not see the water at all, it had to be up level at the bridge," said Nita. "When I hit the water, I was just gone.”

Nita said the rushing waters swirled her car down Ballard creek near Westville. Eventually her car became lodged in some trees and Nita had to climb out of her window.

"I pulled myself up by hanging on to the window and my door handle, then I just hugged the tree," Nita said. "And I was that way for three hours.”

Nita’s daughter Katina Ford knew what was going on but was stuck behind the bridge.

She has her mom on a phone tracking app so she could see exactly where Nita was. “When I got to the bridge, the water was just everywhere," said Ford.

Firefighters did not have a boat to get to Nita, so she had to wait for three hours for swift water crews to save her.

Nita said she lost her husband a few years ago, and she was worried about her family without her, so she prayed– and held on for life.

“I knew my kids were not going to lose their mother or grandmother, so I prayed a lot​," Nita said.

“I just kept praying, momma hold on, momma hold on," said Ford.

Nita said she saw a bright light— and took it as a sign she would be okay. ”For them and everybody, I thank God for all these people they saved me," Nita said.

Nita said she is bruised and scratched up from holding on to that tree for so long, but she's safe, home, and thankful to be alive.