Women credit God for drowning man’s rescue

Cops say Chambers, Klein saved Hughes

Kate Klein and Mary-Lynn Chambers fervently believe that there’s only one reason they both happened to be driving past Charles Creek at roughly the same time last Wednesday morning:

Jessie Daniel Hughes, a 74-year-old Elizabeth City man, desperately needed their help, and God was making sure they were available to give it to him.

Both women are being praised as heroes by city police officials after they helped rescue Hughes from Charles Creek.

But the women, both members of Forest Park Church, are downplaying their roles in saving Hughes’ life, instead giving full credit to God.

It was God’s doing, Klein says, that convinced her to turn her car around after she saw a white object that turned out to be the hat on Hughes’ head, floating in the creek.

And it was also God’s doing, Chambers says, that gave her the strength, after she stopped to help Klein, to wade out into the creek and pull Hughes to safety.

“I’m a stubborn girl, so sometimes (God) really does have to scream to get my attention,” Klein said, recalling the experience last week. “But the way it worked out I felt he really was telling me ‘something is awry here.’ I know that God really yanked my coat and said ‘turn it around and let’s go.’”

Chambers sees things the same way.

“I’m absolutely convinced that God prompted Kate to turn around and that it’s no coincidence that she flagged me down and that together we did what needed to be done, and that’s hopefully saving a man’s life,” she said.

Hughes, who was lying face down, unconscious, in Charles Creek when Klein found him, is recovering at Albemarle Hospital. Police did not have an update on his condition Friday, but were hopeful about his chances of recovery.

Police Chief Charles Crudup said his department continues to investigate how Hughes ended up in the creek.

“We don’t know exactly what we got right now,” he said. “It’s leaning more toward not being (a) criminal” matter.

Police are grateful to Chambers and Klein for their efforts rescuing Hughes, he said.

“I just wanted to thank them for their heroic efforts that they showed,” Crudup said. “As a result of what they did, our victim is still alive, and we plan to give them further recognition.”

Speaking publicly about the rescue for the first time last week, Klein said she was driving by Charles Creek on Southern Avenue when, through the rain, she saw a white object floating in the water. After turning her car around, she saw a car parked in the gravel lot by the creek. The car’s flashers were on.

Klein says as soon as she saw what appeared to be a body floating in the creek, she started waving at passing cars to get someone to stop.

About that time, Chambers, a professor at Elizabeth City State University who also attends the same church as Klein, Forest Park, was driving by on her way to class.

“I saw a woman frantically waving and didn’t recognize it was Kate at the time,” Chambers said.

Klein said it was no accident that it was Chambers who happened to be driving by.

“It is no coincidence that it was her coming down the road at that time,” Klein said. “It clearly was God’s intervention.”

Chambers said she pulled over and rolled down her window. She recognized her friend from church.

“(Klein) said ‘I need some help, there’s a body in the water,’” Chambers said. “So I jumped out.”

Klein dialed 911 on her cell phone to report the emergency and their location. She and Chambers then stood by the creek’s edge waiting for help to arrive.

They didn’t know how long Hughes had been in the water or if he was even still alive. But then Chambers saw a bubble of air in the water near his head. She says she knew right then they couldn’t wait.

Disregarding the water’s temperature, the 48-year-old English professor stepped into the waist-high creek and pulled Hughes’ body to the shore. She and Klein then laid Hughes on his side. They immediately saw liquid flow out of his mouth.

Hughes appeared to be bundled up, wearing his shirt buttoned to the neck. He also was wearing a coat and gloves. Chambers said he didn’t seem to be wounded, but he was unconscious.