An 87-year-old Ottawa man has a South Carolina family to thank for saving his life after he was caught in a raging flood while driving to Florida.

George Osterhues reportedly took a near-fatal detour off Interstate 77 near Columbia, S.C., on Sunday afternoon during heavy rains, which inundated parts of the U.S. South as Hurricane Jaoquin roared through. He was travelling through the region accompanied by his dog, Tila, WSOC-TV reported.

As he travelled along Nina Lee Dr., in Chester County, he came upon a creek, which had overrun its banks and flooded the roadway. Within seconds, Osterhues realized he was in trouble.

“Some people were turning around and I was trying to do the same, but I was already a little too far,” he told WSOC-TV.

Enter local resident Tom Hall, who told the station he was out looking for anyone who might need assistance. When he saw Osterhues’ vehicle, at first he wasn’t sure if it was occupied. Praying it was empty, Hall waded into the fast-flowing water, using tree branches to steady himself.

“I saw some movement and then he raised his hand and waved at me and that kind of broke my heart, because I knew at that point we had to go back and get him,” Hall told WSAC.

He hurried back home to gather his family, wife Julie and son Bryce, and anything he could find which might help rescue Osterhues.

Then, Tom headed into water, that rose to about chest high as he reached Osterhues’ car.

“The water was so strong he could hardly move and I couldn’t move either,” Hall told WSOC. “George was very calm. I begged him to leave the dog, but he said, ‘The dog is going with us.’"

Dramatic video shows Hall walking toward the car wearing a personal flotation device, then the last few seconds as the family drags Osterhues and Tila back to safety with a rope.

Hall estimates it took about an hour to get Osterhues and Tila out of danger.

“I didn’t want to leave the dog, so I took the dog, too,” Osterhues said, smiling for the TV camera and holding his pup in his arms.

To top it all off, with no other viable option due to the weather conditions, the Halls reportedly invited them to stay overnight. On Monday, Osterhues continued on his way to Florida in a rental vehicle.