Montecito Family Outwits Mud By Seconds: 'My Children Would've Been Dead'
MONTECITO (CBSLA) — A Montecito woman is thankful she and her family were alive to tell a story of survival that was videotaped by the San Diego Coast Guard.
The family of five, including a newborn waited for more than six hours trapped on their roof, then angels in a helicopter arrived.
A rescue team is seen on video putting Angelina Cordero, her husband, a new-born baby, two other children and their dogs in baskets and getting them to safety on Tuesday.
"It was just the most amazing feeling ever. We were so happy, my children were so excited and I knew they were going to save us," Cordero said.
She describes the moments the mud started to move into her home as she was holding her 7-week-old son Bronson.
"We got on the bed everything started pouring in the house within seconds, my children would've been dead."
Once the mud was too much, they went to the attic and then to the roof, and what they saw was shocking.
"It was a war zone, horrible, couldn't believe we made it out alive."
The family is thanking the San Diego Coast Guard and the dispatcher who saved their lives. The heroes even went back and saved the family's chameleon.
"Just so blessed we made it and survived," Cordero said.
To help the Corderos click on their GoFundme page.
Crystal Cruz had also been reporting on a neighboring home to the Corderos that was severely damaged this week and was glad to learn the family was out of town during the storm.