‘Eastern Kentuckians always stick together’: Knott Co. man uses kayak to save mother from flooding

KNOTT COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) - “Eastern Kentuckians always stick together. We always have. It’s like one family in this area,” said Earl Moore, a Knott County native.

Moore got a phone call from his mother around 3 a.m. Thursday when flooding began hitting Eastern Kentucky.

“She was concerned because the water was already in her home, and she’s in a wheelchair and unable to walk,” he said.

Because of the rushing waters, Moore was not able to drive, however, he could kayak.

“I wanted to use a kayak to get to my mother. Even though it’s 4 a.m., it’s dark, all I could think about was my mother and possibly drowning,” he said.

Moore was able to get to his mother, then the two began looking for shelter.

The mother and son pair made it to Wheeler Jacobs’ house next.

“We [were] hollering at him outside telling him to bring it to the backdoor, and when he brought it down to the backdoor we just opened the sliding door up and he just slid it in. The water was that high,” said Jacobs.

Jacobs’ wanted to help as many people as he could, and his house became a safe place for other people on Frogtown Road.

“If our neighbor needs help we help our neighbors,” he said.

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