On the evening of Sunday, June 15th, Bowling Branch Road in Cottontown quickly became the scene of a life-or-death water rescue during a flash flood that brought three neighbors together in the dark of night. Jason Sharp, a long-time resident of the community, was down by the creek following a call from his daughter stating that she and a friend were trapped in their cars due to the rising water.

Jason had gone for supplies to pull the cars out of the water, but by the time he got back, his daughter’s friend had already been swept away by the current, his car sitting about 6 feet down from the bridge it had been on. As he approached the scene, his two neighbors arrived to help. After getting him a life vest and attempting to grab him from his position standing in the sunroof of the car, the man was quickly swept away by the water and carried downstream. The power of the floodwaters was overwhelming. “It all came up so quickly," Jason recalled. "I’ve only seen it that high once in the nine years I’ve lived here.” With the floodwaters rapidly rising, they knew they had to act fast.

When emergency responders from the White House Community Volunteer Fire Department couldn't reach the scene using their original path due to the rising waters, the three neighbors jumped into action, trying to safely move their way down the creek to provide any help they could until emergency water rescue services could arrive. “This really opened my eyes to my community and their ability to come together,” Jason said.

Eventually, emergency crews arrived and were able to rescue the man who had been clinging to a tree in rapids. Though he spent the night in the hospital, he was discharged the next day. On Wednesday, June 18th, the survivor returned to the scene to personally thank Jason and his neighbors for saving his life.

This extraordinary experience has forged a stronger bond among the three neighbors. “We would just wave to each other before. We knew each other’s kids, but we weren't close, because we are more rural out here with more property in between us,” Jason said. “Now we’ve connected in a way we never had before.” The event has fostered a deeper sense of pride and solidarity in their rural community, where residents know they can count on one another in times of crisis.

In a way, the floodwaters brought them together more than anything else ever could. What an unforgettable way to close out Father’s Day 2025 — three fathers and neighbors brought together by a bond of bravery and community.

Now, that's positive news worth sharing.