A social media plea brought strangers with a paddleboard, kayak and inner tube to a family trapped by fast-rising floodwater.
PALM BAY, FL — Young residents and other strangers helped rescue a Palm Bay mother, her 11-year-old son and their dogs Monday after floodwater surged into their home and forced them onto a kitchen counter.
The rescue unfolded near California Avenue as widespread flooding struck Palm Bay and other parts of Brevard County. Grant, whose first name was spelled differently in local reports, said water rose rapidly inside her house, leaving no safe path outside. She and her son, Nikoa, climbed onto the counter with their dogs while seeking emergency help.
Grant told local television stations that she called 911 as the water rose but was told emergency crews were handling widespread demand and could not immediately reach her. A plea for help was then shared on social media. People who did not know the family responded with equipment that could move through the flooded neighborhood.
Grant said the first rescuers to reach the house included young people on a paddleboard. Other helpers arrived with a kayak and an inner tube, while another couple with a raised truck waited nearby. One of the rescuers said his mother had seen the family’s Facebook post. Local reports described the paddleboard rescuers as young people, but their ages and whether they were brothers could not be independently confirmed.
Nikoa was taken out first on a paddleboard, according to WESH. Grant and the dogs were also brought to safety. No injuries to the family were reported. Grant later said the response from strangers restored her faith in people after a frightening wait inside the flooded house.
The family was staying with a friend after leaving the home, according to WKMG. Grant said she had lived in the neighborhood for eight years and had never experienced flooding like Monday’s. Water remained over streets in parts of Palm Bay as utility crews and emergency responders worked through heavily affected neighborhoods.
The rescue was one of many carried out during severe flooding across the area. Palm Bay Mayor Rob Medina said hundreds of people had been rescued as the storm inundated homes and roads. Two deaths were reported in connection with the broader Florida flooding, while authorities continued warning residents about deep water, damaged roads and other hazards.
The flooding also disrupted Election Day operations Tuesday. Florida issued an emergency order addressing voting in affected counties, and Brevard County election officials temporarily relocated several polling places because of unsafe conditions. Some replacement voting sites were established in Palm Bay and Melbourne.
Emergency crews continued responding across Palm Bay as water slowly receded Tuesday. The full extent of damage to homes, roads and utilities was still being assessed, and officials said some flooded areas could take days to drain.
Author note: Last updated November 3, 2026.