Ripped from his mom, 8-year-old survives TN flooding alone

WAVERLY, Tenn. — At 8 years old, a Tennessee lad survived the impossible during the caller flash flooding successful the authorities and the stitches connected his look archer the story.

"I went into the surviving country and told my ma that the h2o was covering the road, truthful she told maine to battalion my bags and everything that I need," said Madden Sanders, describing the flood connected Saturday morning.

As the floodwaters rushed into his Waverly home, the location lifted disconnected its base, floating away.

"Then I looked due to the fact that I felt thing and we were moving," said Madden's mother, Elizabeth Sanders. "Then I heard the house. It felt similar it was collapsing in, everything was coming toward us."

Elizabeth rapidly grabbed a floating toy, conscionable large capable to enactment him on.

"We floated out. She pushed maine retired excessively acold and she went nether and past I went nether and past I deed the location 2 times," said Madden.

Elizabeth said, "That was the past clip I saw him and each I could perceive him screaming was, 'Mommy' astatine me."

The waters ripped them apart, dragging Elizabeth a mile away.

"My mama washed distant and past I recovered this shed and I was holding connected to it and past I got an thought and I climbed connected apical of the shed," said Madden. He waited connected the shed alone.

As the minutes went by, helium prayed.

"I said delight God, don't fto maine die," said Madden. "I privation to unrecorded a truly bully life."

Friends and household looked everyplace for him, including his uncle who wouldn't past the search.

"I thought for definite my babe was conscionable gone, I thought that was it," said Elizabeth.

Four hours later, Madden was found. Bystander video shows Madden putting connected a life-vest arsenic helium was pulled to information by Waverly nonmigratory Mark Bohanon.

His parent believes it was a miracle.

"I don't cognize what God has planned for my boy, but I'm acceptable to spot it," said Elizabeth. "I cognize he's got large plans for him."

On Monday, Madden volition crook 9 years aged and his household has ne'er been happier to celebrate.

This communicative was primitively published by Olivia Michael astatine WTVF.