Alabama Dad’s Terrifying Storm Drain Ordeal

A father’s attempt to retrieve his children’s soccer balls during a storm turned into a life-threatening ordeal, highlighting the dangers of flooding and the fragility of life in the face of nature’s fury.

On the night of June 27, 2025, Drew Owen, a Trussville, Alabama, resident, faced a nightmare in his Peppertree neighborhood. Heavy rain had flooded his yard, carrying his kids’ soccer balls toward U.S. Highway 11. Determined to save them, Drew waded into chest-deep water, unaware of a hidden ditch nearby. “I’m 6’2, 235 pounds, and it sucked me in like a twig,” he recalled. In an instant, he was pulled into a storm drain, swept 100 yards through an underground pipe beneath the highway and railroad tracks.

Submerged and disoriented, Drew struggled to breathe for 30 to 45 seconds. “I was praying it would end soon,” he said. “I didn’t know if the pipe went on forever or if I’d make it.” His thoughts turned to his family: “My kids would lose their dad, my wife her husband, and my father’s funeral was the next day—I thought I’d die before it.” Miraculously, he was ejected from the pipe and clung to a tree, crediting his late father as his “guardian angel.”

Bruised, scraped, and missing his shirt, shoes, and nearly a toenail, Drew survived with rib injuries and a scratched wedding ring. The emotional weight hit harder—he shuddered at the thought of his children chasing the balls instead. “They could’ve drowned,” he said. Now, Drew and his wife, Kasey, are advocating for protective grates over drainage pipes to prevent similar incidents. “It’s a miracle Drew’s alive,” Kasey said. “Most don’t survive to tell these stories. We’re so grateful he’s here for our kids.”

Trussville officials noted the state-installed drain and privately owned surrounding land but are exploring ways to reduce flooding risks. The city’s public works department is prioritizing safety upgrades to prevent future tragedies.

Storms have proven deadly elsewhere, too. On June 22, 2025, an EF-1 tornado struck Clark Mills, New York, killing six-year-old twin sisters Emily and Kenni Bisson and 50-year-old Shelly Johnson. The tornado, with 105 mph winds, tore through the hamlet of 1,600, uprooting trees and destroying homes. The Bisson family’s rental home collapsed when a massive maple tree crashed through, trapping their mother, Kayleigh, under debris. Neighbors, including Jared Bowman and firefighter Rick Carollo, rushed to help, but the girls were found dead amid the wreckage.

Kayleigh, a single mother, lost everything. A GoFundMe campaign raised over $308,000, describing Emily and Kenni as joyful softball and dance enthusiasts whose “belly laughs lasted for days.” Clinton Elementary School, where the twins were first-graders, offered counseling and canceled classes to mourn. Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency across 32 counties, citing the storm’s devastation and impending heat.

In nearby Vienna, a tree fell on a camper, injuring two people rescued by the Vienna Fire Department. Emergency crews, including the Clark Mills Fire Department and New York State Police, worked tirelessly, while a senior center sheltered residents. The Sheriff’s Office expressed condolences, underscoring the community’s grief.

These stories serve as stark reminders of nature’s unpredictability and the resilience of those who survive or mourn in its aftermath.