80-year-old woman’s dog swept away by Helene floodwaters as she fought to stay afloat despite heart attack: report

An 80-year-old Tennessee woman couldn’t hold onto her beloved dog in Hurricane Helene’s devastating flood waters – but she stayed afloat for an hour despite suffering a heart attack, reports said.

Shelia Creveling took to the water during the monster storm three weeks ago, with her loyal pup Biscuit in her arms in a desperate bid to avoid the rising water at her home along the French Broad River in Newport, according to WVLT 8 in Knoxville.

Shelia Creveling, who survived Helene’s floods in eastern Tennessee three weeks ago. WVLT

“That‘s when I said, ’I‘m not going to die today. Today is not the day I’m going to die,’” she told the network. “And I didn’t.”

But the same couldn’t be said for Biscuit, who was unfortunately torn from her by the savage force of the churning waters.

Creveling was then left alone as she fought to stay afloat through the flood for 45 minutes, taking deep gulps of air whenever she could come to the top, the station said.

“Sheila collected every ounce of strength left in her 80-year-old body and fought the cold rapid currents of the river,” according to a GoFundMe that’s raised more than $2,000 for her since the Sept. 27 .

Sadly, Creveling’s dog, Biscuit, did not survive the disaster. WVLT
Creveling managed to save some old photos and her father’s medals. WVLT

“Sheila stated she must have swum the length of 3 football fields before feeling solid earth under her soaked and weak body.”

But eventually, she did run aground above the flood — in what she believed was a miracle.

“I was determined to make it, and I did,” Creveling said. “I think that’s a miracle because I ended up right where I wanted to. How that happened, I can’t tell you, but I did, and someone found me and saved me.”

First responders rescued her and brought her to the hospital, where she got another eye-popping surprise: She’d actually had a heart attack in the middle of it all.

A portion of US 40 near the North Carolina and Tennessee border crumbled into the French Broad River during Helene. Angela Wilhelm/Citizen Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

But that hadn’t stopped her from fighting for her very life.

She was released a few days later, the GoFundMe said, but now another struggle has begun: Rebuilding the life she once had from a Pigeon Forge hotel, where she has lived for the last three weeks.

She’s taken to the task with her typical pluck, however.

“Sheila’s entire life and belongings were destroyed by the French Broad River, but it most certainly did not drown her fighting spirit,” the GoFundMe said.

A closeup of some of Creveling’s injuries. WVLT

“She is a remarkable human being and has given all who care for her a new-found appreciation for life.”

Creveling saved little from her riverside home — just a few of her father’s medals and some pictures.

“So many cosmetics and cleaning things, and it’s just so much,” she said. “You really can’t have any organization. It’s just you put it here, you put it there, and that’s the way it has to stay.”

Soon, however, she’ll move to a newly-donated camper that will become her home. And her mission will continue.

“It’s pretty nice,” the resilient woman said.