Janice Valley, her husband and son were up late trying to save items from the flood, when the wall gave way, unleashing a torrent of rain into the basement. She spoke with Inside Edition how she narrowly escaped, despite not knowing how to swim.
A New Jersey family who narrowly escaped drowning in their basement as the remnants of Hurricane Ida unleashed a torrent of historic rainfall across the Northeast is speaking out to Inside Edition.
Stunning video shows Janice and Marlon Valle up at 2:30 a.m. trying to save some precious items from the flood, when one of the walls collapsed, unleashing a torrent of water.
“In that moment, you're trying to think of everyone you love, wishing you could say goodbye to them, when you think you are going to die,” Janice told Inside Edition.
The couple’s son Matteo just walked through ankle-deep water. Six seconds later, the wall gave way.
“He literally walked across. He just made it to the stairs when the wall broke,” Janice said.
Janice was caught in the swirling torrent and became trapped. Her husband was about 10-feet away calling her name. Without knowing how to swim, she somehow made it through the flood waters to her husband, and he pulled her out to safety.
Today, the basement is dark and damp, with a mass of pipes and debris.
“None of this matters. It doesn’t, cause we have each other,” Janice said.
