SIOUX CITY — A team of people leapt to action along the flooded Big Sioux River, and pulled out a tired woman who had reportedly been swept about one-third of a mile down the swollen river.
Wes Bowman, of Sioux City, told Siouxland Public Media News on Monday, that he was among a dozen people who quickly rushed into the backyard of a home and then down the banks of a river, after police said a dicey situation was happening late Sunday afternoon.
"I don't think anybody thought, I think everybody just sprung into action, and did what needed to be done, without thinking of the consequences. I would describe Marcel (Shupe) as a hero," Bowman said.
Bowman said the unidentified woman was exhausted after being pulled from the river, and described her as about age 60. He said police and other emergency workers quickly responded to give her care.
Bowman said the event happened after he was coming to see someone he knew in Riverside, when a police officer drove up at a fast speed and asked if anyone had a rope. The Sioux City Police Department activity log shows a call cited as "River emergency" at 5:31 p.m. in the vicinity of River Drive.
Bowman said the people had strung together hoses, ropes, and themselves by arms to extend from the Big Sioux River riverbank. Some were on the bank, others were in various depths of water, and Shupe was at the end.
Bowman said he was told the woman had gotten into the river up by a bridge. As the event played out, other people upstream were yelling that the woman was moving with the strong current to where Bowman, Shupe, and others were staging a possible rescue.
"Shupe just started swimming out ..... through trees and debris, as it was still coming down. And we were still unsure of where she was. And we could hear people yelling, 'She's coming,' and we could hear her screaming," Bowman said.
He continued, "Marcel made it out to her, and she appeared, and he grabbed her, kind of wrapped the rope around her, and then we started pulling her in," which Bowman estimated took another 15 minutes.
The Big Sioux River crested at a new record level of 46 feet at 8 a.m. Monday, above the prior record of 37.7 feet. Sioux City officials have opened the Tyson Event Center for people in Riverside needing a place to shelter.
