Maryland Flash Flood: National Guardsman Swept Away While Saving Drowning Lady

A national guardsman was reportedly swept away by the dangerous flash flood that devastated parts of Maryland on Monday. Eddison Hermond was attempting to save a woman.

The 39-year-old Air Force veteran and active-duty member of the Maryland Army National Guard was last seen being carried through the streets toward a raging river at 5:20 p.m. EDT near La Palapa restaurant on Main Street, Howard County on Sunday.

41-year-old Kate Bowman, owner of Clipper’s Canine Cafe said she managed to escape from the flooded cafe with her cat and could barely hear and see anything as the waters were very loud.

“He stepped over the ledge to try to get to me, and he was washed away,” she said explaining that the water was waist level when Hermond came across, the Baltimore Sun reported.

The guardsman had vanished while trying to save a woman finding her missing cat, county Police Chief Gary Gardner initially said on Monday.

Bowman, however, denied the claim and said it had nothing to do with the cat and he was trying to save her.

Gardner also said the authorities were looking for Hermond, using dogs to help look in buildings and cars.

According to Gardner’s account, Hermond was with friends at a nearby bar when the incident took place.

Bonnie Hoppa, his friend, said he was last seen trailing towards the Patapsco River.

"Please please please, if you know where Eddison is, we are extremely worried," she posted on Facebook.

“It’s Memorial Day, it’s my wedding anniversary. He was one of my groomsmen; this is very hard, very weird right now. Very surreal,” one of Hermond’s friends said.

Col. Charles Kohler, Maryland National Guard said Hermond is a sergeant assigned to Camp Fretterd in Reisterstown but was not working for the Guard when the incident took place.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family,” he said.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan tweeted: “Praying for the brave veteran who has been reported missing following yesterday’s terrible flooding in Ellicott City. My heartfelt thanks to all those assisting in the search.”

Hermond joined the Maryland Army National Guard in 2009 and served more than a decade on active duty. He then worked at Victoria Gastro Pub in Columbia for 10 years as a server, bartender and manager.

“Maybe he’s sitting up in a tree where no one can see him, or he broke both his legs and can’t walk and is waiting for someone to find him,” said Beth Czyryca who knows Hermond for a decade.

“I’m not surprised that he would be acting as a hero and jump right in to help,” she added.

Jason Gotcher, who works at Victoria, said there wasn’t much that Hermond’s friends could do.

“We’re kind of just letting first responders do their job,” he said.

Authorities have found no sign of him as of Monday night and have asked anyone with information about his whereabouts to call 911 immediately.