Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Man Saves 2 Youths As Little Missouri Rises In Flash Flood

Heros come in all forms, shapes and sizes.

According to Webster's Dictionary, a hero is a man of great courage; one who is admired for their deeds.

Using this definition, Floyd Payne, of Prescott, certainly fits the bill.

Payne, who has a temporary disability, risked his life to save two young boys trapped in the top of a tree.

The boys, Jerod Norwood, 13, and Dustin Goodwin, 11, tried to turn their All-Terrain Vehicle around at the large culvert at the Little Missouri River, at the Nubbin Hill access while riding around Friday, May 29.

With the water rapidly the two found themselves trapped in the tree top with no way to get out.

Payne said he and his children were on their way to the river when the came upon a couple asking if they had seen some children. They were told the Payne's hadn't seen the boys, but would send them home if they did.

A short time later, he saw two other people in walking in the water. One of the young men jumped in and swam to the children trapped in the tree, trying to help them remain calm.

The other said a boat was coming. When it arrived, while the first two talked about how to get the boat to the boys in the tree, Payne took it and towed it behind while swimming to the trapped boys.

He told them to get in and remain still while he got behind it and pushed it to those waiting on shore.

As he got the children safely to shore, with the water rapidly rising and rushing faster and faster, another man arrived with a motorboat. At this point, they went looking for the ATV, which wasn't found until the next day when the water went down.

The ATV was recovered in the culvert itself.

Payne said before he could get out of the water, someone, reportedly a cook, with the Nevada County Sheriff's Office took the boys, but didn't wait to see if he would get out safely or not.

"I did what anyone would have done," he said. "They could've been killed. The water was rising fast and steadily. It was almost to the top of the tree when I got there."

Payne said the swim from the landing to the tree was difficult, but he's a good swimmer and was fortunate to make it.

The boys, he said, told him they had been trapped in the tree two or three hours before he rescued them.

They were taken safely to their families.

While the rescue attempt was going on, Payne's own children were watching to see if their father could save the trapped children and get out of the raging river himself.

All were fortunate as he did.