<!doctype html><!--[if lt IE 7]>
<html class="lt-ie9 lt-ie8 lt-ie7 no-js" lang="en">
<![endif]--><!--[if IE 7]>
<html class="lt-ie9 lt-ie8 no-js" lang="en">
<![endif]--><!--[if IE 8]>
<html class="lt-ie9 no-js" lang="en">
<![endif]--><!--[if IE 9]>
<html class="ie9 no-js" lang="en">
<![endif]--><!--[if gt IE 9]><!-->
<html class="no-js" lang="en">
<!--<![endif]-->
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge" />
  <meta name="description" content="Six members of the Saldivar family are still missing after their van was swept away by Hurricane Harvey floodwaters.">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <meta property="fb:app_id" content="10150138890205613"/>
  <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/">
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="155869377766434" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="114288853688" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="273864989376427" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="25987609066" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="103708747870" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="117112876419" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="493352494017633" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="143109582453645" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="153005644864469" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="598356233569407" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="62499551911" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="90692553761" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="108546889203630" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="154957517930371" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="114945745226947" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="164878620263509" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="219012311450917" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="280920811923248" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="358279854182174" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="809948162383434" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="864302923644949" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="868876563129583" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="1508175089456029" />
  <meta property="og:site_name" content="NBC News"/>
  <meta property="og:description" content="Six members of the Saldivar family are still missing after their van was swept away by Hurricane Harvey floodwaters."/>
  <meta property="og:title" content="Family recounts last moments of van swept away by Harvey flood"/>
  <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196"/>
  <meta property="og:type" content="article"/>
  <meta property="og:image" content="https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_35/2136321/170829-houston-family-mc-952_8ed2d0b17caca34e41b6c200460222d9.nbcnews-fp-1200-630.jpg"/>
  <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
  <meta name="twitter:site" content="NBCNews"/>
  <meta name="twitter:title" content="Family recounts last moments of van swept away by Harvey flood"/>
  <meta name="twitter:description" content="Six members of the Saldivar family are still missing after their van was swept away by Hurricane Harvey floodwaters."/>
  <meta name="twitter:creator" content="NBCNews"/>
  <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_35/2136321/170829-houston-family-mc-952_8ed2d0b17caca34e41b6c200460222d9.nbcnews-fp-1024-512.jpg"/>
  <link rel="alternate" href="android-app://com.zumobi.msnbc/http/www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196"/>
  <meta name="apple-itunes-app" content="app-id=319740707, app-argument=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196">
  <meta name="google-site-verification" content="dMf4cxtcxKlWchKvPlULwDZi8XpI9-ARqe8j2mGmi4Y"/>
  <meta name="google-site-verification" content="K8bowvEbzWfPQ76x6f9SCxMVwicVXrhiClRg80ak8ZA" />
  <meta name="google-site-verification" content="G4SGIUDh2TcgDVNjuleQ-Humwb3JAZaQD9Vg42Stfn8" />
  
  <meta name="news_keywords" content="Nightly News,Latino,Weather,U.S. news"/>
  <link rel="amphtml" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/amp/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196" />
    <link rel="next" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/harvey-hit-texans-still-struggle-recovery-amid-housing-challenges-n833291">
    <meta property="article:author" content="https://www.facebook.com/NBCNews"/>
  
    <meta name="DC.date.issued" content="2017-08-30">
    <meta name="published" content="2017-08-30T11:25:46.000Z"/>
    <title>Family Describes Horror of Harvey Flood That Swept Away Six in Van - NBC News</title>
    <script type="application/ld+json">
     {
          "@context": "https://schema.org/",
          "@type": "Organization",
          "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com",
          "logo": {
                  "@type": "ImageObject",
                  "url": "https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/site-images/nbcnews-logo-white.png",
                  "width": 166,
                  "height": 24
          },
          "sameAs": [
                    "https://twitter.com/NBCNews",
                    "https://www.facebook.com/NBCNews",
                    "https://plus.google.com/+NBCnews",
                    "https://www.instagram.com/nbcnews",
                    "https://www.youtube.com/nbcnews"
                    ]
     }
    </script>
    <script type="application/ld+json">
          {
            "@context" :{
                "@vocab": "https://schema.org",
                "articleId": {
                    "@id": "Text",
                    "@type": "@id"
                }
            },
            "@type": "NewsArticle",
            "headline": "Family Describes Horror of Harvey Flood That Swept Away Six in Van",
            "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196",
            "thumbnailUrl": "https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_35/2136321/170829-houston-family-mc-952_8ed2d0b17caca34e41b6c200460222d9.nbcnews-fp-1200-630.jpg",
            "creator": "Miguel Almaguer",
            "alternativeHeadline": "",
            "dateCreated": "2017-08-30T11:25:46.000Z",
            "datePublished": "2017-08-30T11:25:46.000Z",
            "dateModified": "2017-08-30T11:25:47.000Z",
            "articleSection":"nightly-news",
            "articleId":"797196",
            "name": "Family Describes Horror of Harvey Flood That Swept Away Six in Van",
            "speakable": {
              "@type": "SpeakableSpecification",
              "cssSelector": [".article-hed h1", ".article-body p:first-child"]
            },
            "image": {
              "@type": "ImageObject",
              "url": "https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_35/2136321/170829-houston-family-mc-952_8ed2d0b17caca34e41b6c200460222d9.nbcnews-fp-1200-630.jpg",
              "width": 1200,
              "height": 800
            },
            "author": [
              {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Miguel Almaguer"
              },
              {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Tracy Connor"
              }
            ],
            "publisher": {
              "@type": "Organization",
              "name": "NBC News",
              "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/site-images/nbcnews-logo-white.png",
                "width": 166,
                "height": 24
              }
            },
            "description": "Six members of the Saldivar family are still missing after their van was swept away by Hurricane Harvey floodwaters.",
            "mainEntityOfPage": {
              "@type": "WebPage",
              "@id": "https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196"
            }
          }
    </script>
  <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196"/>
  <link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/31533d28.favicon.ico"/>
    <link href="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/styles/main-c6773045bf.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
    
    <noscript>
        <link href="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/styles/fonts-b858ad4bb0.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
        <link href="https://netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
    </noscript>
    
    <!--[if lt IE 9]>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/localassets/styles/main.css">
    <script src="//cdn.jsdelivr.net/respond/1.4.2/respond.min.js"></script>
    <![endif]-->

  
  <noscript>
    <style type="text/css">
      html body .no-js-show{ display: block !important;}
      html body .no-js-hide{ display: none !important;}
    </style>
  </noscript>
  <!--[if lt IE 9]>
  <script src="https://html5shiv.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/html5.js"></script><![endif]-->
  <meta name="blitz" content="mu-e1e842c9-946002e6-ea8f0454-41b29546">
    <script>
      // Picture element HTML5 shiv
      document.createElement( "picture" );
    </script>
    <script>
        function getCookie(cname) {var name = cname + "="; var ca = document.cookie.split(';'); for(var i=0; i<ca.length; i++) {var c = ca[i];while (c.charAt(0)==' ') c = c.substring(1);if (c.indexOf(name) == 0) return c.substring(name.length,c.length);}return "";}
        function loadCSS(e,n,o,t){"use strict";var d=window.document.createElement("link"),i=n||window.document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0],s=window.document.styleSheets;return d.rel="stylesheet",d.href=e,d.media="only x",t&&(d.onload=t),i.parentNode.insertBefore(d,i),d.onloadcssdefined=function(n){for(var o,t=0;t<s.length;t++)s[t].href&&s[t].href.indexOf(e)>-1&&(o=!0);o?n():setTimeout(function(){d.onloadcssdefined(n)})},d.onloadcssdefined(function(){d.media=o||"all"}),d}

        if(getCookie('fonts_cached')){
            loadCSS('https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/styles/fonts-b858ad4bb0.min.css');
            loadCSS('https://netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css');
        }
    </script>
</head>
<body id="top" class="article hurricane-harvey" data-routename="article" data-taxonomy="hurricane-harvey">

<!--[if lt IE 10]><p class="browsehappy">You are using an
  <strong>outdated</strong> browser. Please
  <a href="https://browsehappy.com/">upgrade your browser</a> to improve your experience.
</p><![endif]-->
<header class="grid_default" role="banner">
    <div class="js-site-header header-group">
      <div class="slim-white-site-header">
          <div class="container-gutter">
              <div class="container">
                  <div class="row">
                      <div class="col-lg-10">
                          <a class="slim-white-site-header__site-logo inline-block" href="/"><svg viewBox="0 0 166 24" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd">
          <path d="M43.307 2.132l12.616 12.01v-11.247h4.082v20.834l-12.59-12.248v11.563h-4.108v-20.913zM66.59 14.458h3.74c.843.026 2.397.869 2.397 2.634 0 1.817-1.58 2.607-2.502 2.686h-3.635v-5.321zm-4.161 8.56h9.798c2.317 0 5.03-2.265 5.03-5.347 0-3.161-2.054-4.715-3.397-5.347 0 0 2.476-1.396 2.37-4.398-.132-4.03-3.872-5.031-5.189-5.031h-8.612v20.122zm4.135-16.751h3.055c1.028.079 2.265.87 2.265 2.292 0 1.343-.948 2.292-2.186 2.45h-3.134v-4.741zM92.691 7.058c-4.32-2.871-10.167.053-10.535 5.373-.158 6.453 6.216 9.113 10.535 6.321v4.135c-7.638 2.845-14.645-2.529-14.67-10.324.026-6.612 7.322-12.458 14.67-9.535v4.03zM98.047 2.132l12.615 12.01v-11.247h4.083v20.834l-12.59-12.248v11.563h-4.109v-20.913zM120.751 6.399v4.688h6.558v3.556h-6.558v4.82h6.558v3.555h-10.667v-20.122h10.667v3.503h-6.558zM132.313 2.896l5.321 11.8 1.896-4.24-3.556-7.559h4.188l1.317 3.134 1.264-3.134h4.109l-3.398 7.533 1.897 4.267 5.083-11.8h4.504l-9.219 20.912-4.135-8.876-4.109 8.902-9.481-20.939h4.319zM160.442 2.343c.369 0 2.292.105 4.136 1.212v3.925c-1.08-.685-2.503-1.607-3.872-1.607-1.66 0-2.713 1.238-2.713 2.37 0 2.871 8.007 2.608 8.007 8.955 0 2.107-1.502 6.453-6.796 6.453-.105 0-1.738.158-4.583-1.317v-4.372c1.581 1.712 3.556 2.159 4.32 2.159 1.712 0 2.95-1.342 2.95-2.975 0-3.135-7.796-2.555-7.796-8.903 0-3.45 2.95-5.9 6.347-5.9"
                 fill="#000"/>
          <path d="M11.622 8.567l5.466 12.499-11.276-7.721c-2.829-1.873-2.255-5.084-.688-6.498 2.217-1.873 5.35-1.223 6.497 1.72"
                fill="#f47a3f"/>
          <path d="M19.16 5.623l-1.988 13.99-5.657-13.302c-1.223-3.326 1.529-5.504 3.364-5.542 2.102-.229 4.74 1.376 4.281 4.854"
                fill="#ce1041"/>
          <path d="M27.76 6.274l-5.619 13.34-1.797-12.04c-.152-1.834.994-1.873 1.414-2.217l-.65-.268h-1.071c-.114-3.134 2.332-4.51 4.32-4.358 2.141.076 4.548 2.561 3.402 5.542"
                fill="#7d77b8"/>
          <path d="M33.493 13.269l-11.276 7.759 5.313-12.346c1.606-3.9 5.352-3.135 6.689-1.644 1.452 1.453 1.873 4.396-.726 6.231"
                fill="#0279b7"/>
          <path d="M34.678 22.404h-13.034l10.587-7.377c2.6-1.72 5.351-.153 6.078 2.102.765 2.522-.956 5.274-3.631 5.274"
                fill="#62bc46"/>
          <path d="M.927 16.976c.994-2.599 3.746-3.517 6.193-1.949l10.588 7.377h-12.843c-2.676 0-4.778-2.446-3.938-5.427"
                fill="#fdb912"/>
      </svg>
      </a>
                          <button class="js-toggle btn btn_alt btn_md btn_site-menu inline-block" data-togglecontrols='{"toggleClass":"is-open", "selector":".dropdown_site-nav", "activeTarget":true}'>Sections<i class="fa fa-chevron-down" aria-hidden="true"></i><i class="fa fa-chevron-up" aria-hidden="true"></i></button>
                          <ul class="nav-bar hidden-xs inline-block">
                              <li><a href="/nightly-news"> Nightly News</a></li>
                              <li class="hidden-sm"><a href="http://www.msnbc.com" target="blank">MSNBC</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/meet-the-press"> Meet the Press</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/dateline"> Dateline</a></li>
                              <li class="hidden-sm"><a href="https://www.today.com" target="blank"><span class="today-sun-logo"><img width="20" height="10" alt="TODAY" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/today-logo-site-nav.png"></span>Today</a></li>
                          </ul>
                          <div role="search" class="search site-header-item inline-block">
                              <ul class="nav-bar">
                                  <li><a class="js-toggle search_toggle btn_txt" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/pages/search" data-togglecontrols='{"toggleClass":"is-open", "selector":".search_input", "activeTarget":true, "preventDefault":true}'><i class="fa fa-search" aria-hidden="true"></i><i class="fa fa-times" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Search</span></a></li>
                              </ul>
                              <div class="search_input">
                                  <form action="/pages/search/" id="search-form">
                                      <label for="q" id="search_label">
                                          <span class="screen-reader-txt">Search</span>
                                      </label>
                                      <input class="form_control" aria-labelledby="search_label" id="q" required name="q" type="search" placeholder="Search" autofocus/>
                                      <input type="submit" value="Search" class="screen-reader-txt"/>
                                  </form>
                              </div>
                          </div>
                      </div>
                      <div class="visible-lg-block col-lg-2">
                          <ul class="datapoints__share">
                              <li>
                                  <a class="js-sharethis" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcnews.com%2Fstoryline%2Fhurricane-harvey%2Ffamily-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">
                                    <svg version="1.1" x="0" y="0" viewBox="0 0 20 20" enable-background="new 0 0 20 20" xml:space="preserve">
                                      <desc>Share on Facebook</desc>
                                      <path d="M17 1H3C1.9 1 1 1.9 1 3v14c0 1.1 0.9 2 2 2h7v-7H8V9.53h2V7.48c0-2.16 1.21-3.68 3.77-3.68l1.8 0v2.61h-1.2C13.38 6.4 13 7.14 13 7.84v1.69h2.57L15 12h-2v7h4c1.1 0 2-0.9 2-2V3C19 1.9 18.1 1 17 1z"></path>
                                    </svg>
                                  </a>
                              </li>
                              <li>
                                  <a class="js-sharethis" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Family%20Describes%20Horror%20of%20Harvey%20Flood%20That%20Swept%20Away%20Six%20in%20Van&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcnews.com%2Fstoryline%2Fhurricane-harvey%2Ffamily-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196&via=nbcnews" target="_blank" title="Tweet">
                                    <svg version="1.1" x="0px" y="0px" viewBox="0 0 20 20" enable-background="new 0 0 20 20" xml:space="preserve">
                                      <desc>Share on Twitter</desc>
                                      <path d="M17.316 6.246c0.008 0.2 0 0.3 0 0.488c0 4.99-3.797 10.742-10.74 10.742c-2.133 0-4.116-0.625-5.787-1.697 c0.296 0 0.6 0.1 0.9 0.053c1.77 0 3.397-0.604 4.688-1.615c-1.651-0.031-3.046-1.121-3.526-2.621 c0.23 0 0.5 0.1 0.7 0.066c0.345 0 0.679-0.045 0.995-0.131c-1.727-0.348-3.028-1.873-3.028-3.703c0-0.016 0-0.031 0-0.047 c0.509 0.3 1.1 0.5 1.7 0.473c-1.013-0.678-1.68-1.832-1.68-3.143c0-0.691 0.186-1.34 0.512-1.898 C3.942 5.5 6.7 7 9.9 7.158C9.798 6.9 9.8 6.6 9.8 6.297c0-2.084 1.689-3.773 3.774-3.773 c1.086 0 2.1 0.5 2.8 1.191c0.859-0.17 1.667-0.484 2.397-0.916c-0.282 0.881-0.881 1.621-1.66 2.1 c0.764-0.092 1.49-0.293 2.168-0.594C18.694 5.1 18.1 5.7 17.3 6.246z"></path>
                                    </svg>
                                  </a>
                              </li>
                              <li>
                                <a href="https://secure.nbcnews.com/_tps/accounts/newsletters"target="_blank" title="Email">
                                  <svg version="1.1" x="0" y="0" viewBox="0 0 20 20" xml:space="preserve">
                                    <desc>Email page link</desc>
                                    <path d="M1.57 5.29c0.49 0.26 7.25 3.89 7.5 4.03C9.33 9.45 9.65 9.51 9.98 9.51c0.33 0 0.65-0.06 0.91-0.2s7.01-3.77 7.5-4.03C18.88 5.02 19.34 4 18.44 4H1.52C0.62 4 1.09 5.02 1.57 5.29zM18.61 7.49c-0.56 0.29-7.39 3.85-7.73 4.03s-0.58 0.2-0.91 0.2 -0.57-0.02-0.91-0.2S1.94 7.78 1.39 7.49C1 7.28 1 7.52 1 7.71S1 15 1 15c0 0.42 0.57 1 1 1h16c0.43 0 1-0.58 1-1 0 0 0-7.11 0-7.29S19 7.29 18.61 7.49z"></path>
                                  </svg>
                                </a>
                              </li>
                          </ul>
                      </div>
                  </div>
              </div>
              <nav class="dropdown dropdown_site-nav" role="navigation" aria-label="Secondary">
                  <h3 class="screen-reader-txt">Secondary Navigation</h3>
                  <div class="container">
                      <div class="row">
                        <div class="col-xs-6 col-sm-4">
                          <div class="dropdown_col">
                            <h4 class="item-heading">Sections</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href='/news/us-news'>U.S.</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/politics">Politics</a></li>
                              <li><a href='/news/world'>World</a></li>
                              <li><a class="js-localaffiliate" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nbc-affiliates-n19981">Local</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/business">Business</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/health">Health</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/investigations">Investigations</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/pop-culture/lifestyle">Lifestyle</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/pop-culture">Pop Culture</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/science">Science</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/tech">Tech</a></li>
                              <li><a href='https://www.nbcsports.com' target="blank">Sports</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/weather">Weather</a></li>
                            </ul>
                          </div>
                        </div>
                        <div class="col-xs-6 col-sm-4 col">
                          <div class="dropdown_col">
                      
                            <h4 class="item-heading">TV</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href="/nightly-news">Nightly News</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/meet-the-press">Meet The Press</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/dateline">Dateline</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://today.com/" target="blank">Today</a></li>
                            </ul>
                            <h4 class="item-heading">Featured</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href="/think">Think</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/mach">Mach</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/better">Better</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/leftfield">NBC Left Field</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/asian-america">Asian America</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/latino">Latino</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/nbcblk">NBCBLK</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/feature/nbc-out">NBC Out</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/business/your-business">Your Business</a></li>
                            </ul>
                          </div>
                        </div>
                        <div class="col-xs-6 col-sm-4">
                          <div class="dropdown_col">
                            <h4 class="item-heading">Top Ongoing</h4>
                            <ul>
                                <li>
                                  <a data-target="#ongoing-01-section" href="/storyline/texas-church-shooting">Texas Church Shooting</a>
                                </li>
                                <li>
                                  <a data-target="#ongoing-02-section" href="/storyline/winter-olympics-2018">Winter Olympics 2018</a>
                                </li>
                            </ul>
                            <h4 class="item-heading">Multimedia</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href="/video">Video</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/photo">Photo</a></li>
                            </ul>
                            <h4 class="item-heading h3">More From NBC</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href="https://nbcsports.com/">Sports</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://cnbc.com/">CNBC</a></li>
                              <li><a href="http://www.msnbc.com/">MSNBC.com</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://nbc.com/">NBC.com</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://www.nbclearn.com/portal/site/learn">NBC Learn</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://recode.net/">Re/Code</a></li>
                              <li><a href="http://www.peacockproductions.tv/">Peacock Productions</a></li>
                              <li><a href="http://veterans.nbcnews.com/">Next Steps for Vets</a></li>
                              <li><a href="http://parenttoolkit.com/">Parent Toolkit</a></li>
                            </ul>
                          </div>
                        </div>
                      </div>
                  </div>
              </nav>
          </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  <noscript>
    <div class="container-gutter">
      <div class="container">
        <div class="row">
          <div class="col-sm-12">
            <div class="align-center alert alert_warning">
              <i class="fa fa-lg fa-exclamation-triangle" aria-hidden="true"></i> NBC News works best with JavaScript turned on
            </div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </noscript>
</header>
<main class="site-content" role="main">
  <a id='js-feedback-btn' class="feedback" href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZRY6QHK" target='blank'><i class="fa fa-comment"></i> Feedback</a>
  <div class="ad-container align-center ad-hide">
  <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
  	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
  </div>
  <div class="ad-content ad-sm ad-md ad-lg topbanner ad-content_row" data-placement="topbanner"></div>
</div>
<div class="ad-container ad-hide">
  <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
  	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
  </div>
  <div class="ad-content ad-lg ad-min interstitial ad-content_row" data-placement="interstitial"></div>
</div>
<div class="grid_article">
  <div class="container">
    <div class="panel-group_header">
      <div class="row">
        <div class="col-sm-12">
          <div class="panel-group_heading">
              <div class="breadcrumb_container">
                <a class="breadcrumb" href="/storyline">Storyline</a>
                <i class="fa fa-angle-right"></i>
                  <div class="item-heading item-heading_group item-heading_group-lg item-heading_breadcrumb">
                      <a href="/storyline/hurricane-harvey">Hurricane Harvey</a>
                  </div>
              </div>

          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="grid_article">
  <article id="797196" class="article_entry" data-url="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196" data-articletype='post' data-next='' data-mpscat='nightly-news|latino' data-mpspath='/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196' data-mpssectionlist='nightly-news|news' data-mpsstorylinelist='hurricane-harvey' data-mpstype='post' data-videodata='{&quot;storyline&quot;:&quot;hurricane-harvey&quot;,&quot;section&quot;:&quot;nightly-news&quot;,&quot;topic&quot;:&quot;latino&quot;,&quot;show&quot;:&quot;nightly-news&quot;}' >




        <div class="article_capsule">
          <div class="container">
            <div class="ad-container ad-hide">
              <div class="ad-content ad-xs mobileinterstitial ad-content_row" data-placement="mobileinterstitial"></div>
            </div>
            <header class="row_article article-header article_max">
              <div class="article-flags">
                <div class="article-flags_container">
                  <div class="flag_article-wrapper">
                <a class="flag flag_article-section" href="/news">News</a>
              </div>
                 <div class="flag_article-wrapper">
                  <a class="flag flag_storyline flag_article-section" href="/storyline/hurricane-harvey">Hurricane Harvey</a>
                </div>
               
              
                  <div class="flag_article-wrapper flag_article-wrapper-last">
                      <time class="timestamp_article" datetime="2017-08-30T11:25:46.000Z">Aug 30 2017, 7:25 am ET</time>
                  </div>
                </div>
              </div>
              <div class="article-hed">
                <h1>Family Describes Horror of Harvey Flood That Swept Away Six in Van</h1>
                  <p class="byline_article">
                <span class="byline">
                  <span class="lowercase">by</span> <span class="byline_author">Miguel Almaguer</span>        <span class="lowercase">and</span> <span class="byline_author">Tracy Connor</span></span>
                </p>
              </div>
            </header>
          </div>
          <div class="container">
            <div class="row_article article_main-container">
              <div class="js-share article_share article_max" aria-label="tools" role="group">
                <ul class="js-sticky social-list social-list_article">
                  <li>
                    <span class="article_meta-title article_meta-title-sm social-list_article-title">Share</span>
                  </li>
                  <li>
                    <a class="js-sharearticle facebook" target='_blank' href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://nbcnews.to/2wg2L7N">
                      <i class="fa fa-facebook" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="social-list_txt">Share</span>
                    </a></li>
                  <li>
                    <a class="js-sharearticle twitter" target='_blank' href="https://twitter.com/share?text=Family%20recounts%20last%20moments%20of%20van%20swept%20away%20by%20Harvey%20flood&url=http://nbcnews.to/2wg2L7N&via=nbcnews">
                      <i class="fa fa-twitter" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="social-list_txt">Tweet</span>
                    </a></li>
                      <li>
                          <a class="newsvine-comment j_social_seed" style="display: none;" target='_blank' href="https://www.newsvine.com/_api/discuss?u=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196&h=Family%20Describes%20Horror%20of%20Harvey%20Flood%20That%20Swept%20Away%20Six%20in%20Van&t=nightly-news&cid=">
                              <svg width="24px" height="16px" viewBox="0 0 44 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
                                  <g id="newsvine-seed-icon" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd">
                                      <g id="newsvine-logo" fill="#116600">
                                          <g id="newsvine-seed">
                                              <g>
                                                  <path d="M37.58,0.017 L6.412,0.017 C2.871,0.017 0,2.888 0,6.429 L0,52.594 C0,56.135 2.871,59.005 6.412,59.005 L21.046,59.005 L21.046,47.494 L14.54,42.938 C13.82,43.343 12.998,43.499 12.178,43.352 C11.246,43.185 10.436,42.664 9.896,41.884 C9.354,41.107 9.149,40.161 9.316,39.229 C9.484,38.296 10.006,37.483 10.785,36.944 C11.566,36.403 12.508,36.197 13.439,36.369 C14.369,36.536 15.183,37.055 15.723,37.833 C16.14,38.433 16.359,39.134 16.359,39.853 C16.359,40.048 16.338,40.244 16.307,40.442 L21.046,43.761 L21.046,33.068 L14.537,28.511 C13.82,28.917 12.998,29.072 12.178,28.919 C11.246,28.752 10.436,28.234 9.896,27.456 C9.354,26.677 9.149,25.732 9.316,24.798 C9.664,22.874 11.518,21.589 13.439,21.939 C15.351,22.286 16.625,24.109 16.307,26.016 L21.046,29.334 L21.046,19.324 L14.54,14.765 C13.82,15.171 12.998,15.329 12.178,15.179 C10.252,14.831 8.969,12.981 9.316,11.055 C9.664,9.13 11.518,7.846 13.439,8.199 C14.369,8.363 15.183,8.886 15.723,9.663 C16.14,10.264 16.359,10.965 16.359,11.681 C16.359,11.876 16.338,12.073 16.307,12.268 L21.046,15.591 L21.046,6.316 L24.103,6.316 L24.103,22.728 L28.768,19.458 C28.615,18.54 28.82,17.616 29.347,16.849 C29.889,16.074 30.703,15.551 31.633,15.386 C33.559,15.039 35.408,16.324 35.756,18.247 C36.105,20.171 34.822,22.021 32.895,22.37 C32.074,22.517 31.248,22.359 30.532,21.953 L24.103,26.46 L24.103,36.471 L28.765,33.204 C28.445,31.295 29.725,29.472 31.633,29.127 C33.559,28.78 35.408,30.068 35.756,31.992 C35.926,32.921 35.719,33.866 35.18,34.643 C34.637,35.423 33.826,35.944 32.895,36.112 C32.047,36.265 31.215,36.101 30.519,35.707 L24.103,40.204 L24.103,50.896 L28.768,47.627 C28.734,47.432 28.713,47.238 28.713,47.048 C28.713,45.367 29.92,43.867 31.633,43.558 C32.564,43.388 33.506,43.589 34.283,44.13 C35.066,44.674 35.588,45.482 35.758,46.417 C36.102,48.343 34.82,50.19 32.896,50.54 C32.074,50.689 31.248,50.532 30.529,50.126 L24.103,54.63 L24.103,59.005 L37.58,59.005 C41.121,59.005 43.992,56.135 43.992,52.594 L43.992,6.429 C43.992,2.888 41.121,0.017 37.58,0.017" id="vine"></path>
                                              </g>
                                          </g>
                                      </g>
                                  </g>
                              </svg><span class="social-list_txt">Comment</span>
                          </a></li>
                  <li class="hidden-xs">
                    <a class="js-sharearticle" target="_blank" href="mailto:?subject=Family%20Describes%20Horror%20of%20Harvey%20Flood%20That%20Swept%20Away%20Six%20in%20Van%20on%20NBCNews.com&body=From%20NBCNews.com... %0D%0A%0D%0A%20Family%20Describes%20Horror%20of%20Harvey%20Flood%20That%20Swept%20Away%20Six%20in%20Van%0D%0Ahttps://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196?cid=eml_onsite
              ">
                      <i class="fa fa-envelope-o" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="social-list_txt">Email</span>
                    </a></li>
                  <li class="hidden-xs">
                    <button class="js-sharearticle print">
                      <i class="fa fa-print" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="social-list_txt">Print</span>
                    </button>
                  </li>
                </ul>
              </div>
              <div class="article_col-main article_col-main-left article_main">
                <div class="article-body">
                      <p> HOUSTON — Clinging to a tree branch with the bayou currents rushing around him, Sammy Saldivar watched helplessly as the <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/six-family-members-swept-away-van-feared-dead-texas-floodwaters-n796891">van carrying his parents</a> and four great-nieces and great-nephews bobbed in the water. </p>
                      <p> "He could hear the kids screaming and crying, trying to get out of the van," Saldivar's brother, Ricardo, told NBC News on Tuesday. </p>
                      <p> "He said, 'Climb to the top, go out the back door,'" he said. "But [with] the van pointed straight down, they couldn't climb up the van, much less open the door. </p>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-container_mobile ad-hide ad-container-box1">
                    <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                    	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                    </div>
                    <div class="ad-content ad-xs box1" data-placement="box1"></div>
                    </div>
                      <p> "He just seen the van go under the water." </p>
                    <figure class="img_full">
                      <noscript><img class="img-responsive img_inline" src="https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_35/2136321/170829-houston-family-mc-952_8ed2d0b17caca34e41b6c200460222d9.nbcnews-fp-360-360.jpg" alt="Image: Missing Members of the Saldivar Family" title="Image: Missing Members of the Saldivar Family" /></noscript>
                      <a href="https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_35/2136321/170829-houston-family-mc-952_8ed2d0b17caca34e41b6c200460222d9.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000.jpg" class="js-lightbox lightbox_link">
                        <button class="btn btn_overlay"><i class="fa fa-expand"></i></button>
                        <img class="img-responsive img_inline" src="https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_35/2136321/170829-houston-family-mc-952_8ed2d0b17caca34e41b6c200460222d9.nbcnews-ux-1024-900.jpg" alt="Image: Missing Members of the Saldivar Family" title="Image: Missing Members of the Saldivar Family"/>
                      </a>
                      <div class="js-caption_wrapper">
                        <figcaption class="img-caption img-caption_default no-margin-bottom"><span class="img-caption_txt">From left; Devy Saldivar, Dominic Saldivar,  Xavier Saldivar and Daisy Saldivar</span> <i class="fa fa-camera" aria-hidden="true"></i>Courtesy Virginia Saldivar</figcaption>
                      </div>
                    </figure>
                  
                      <p> Two days after that gut-wrenching scene unfolded in Houston's Greens Bayou, in the wake of <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey">Hurricane Harvey</a>, the white van has yet to be found. Family members have given up hope that those trapped inside could be found alive. </p>
                      <p> Sammy Saldivar spent 45 minutes in the water before sheriff's deputies spotted him and threw him a rope, his brother said. He escaped with his life but is wracked with guilt. </p>
                  
                      <div class="js-player-shell" data-playertype="Inline">
                        <div class="widget widget_video widget_trusted">
                            <div class="video-viewport">
                                <div class="intrinsic">
                                    <div class="intrinsic-wrapper ratio-16x9">
                                        <div id="video_mpx_1035435587814_14" class="js-video-placeholder vilynx_enabled" vilynx-id="https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/houston-family-loses-six-loved-ones-in-harvey-flooding-1035435587814" data-mpxid="1035435587814" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%;">
                                          <button id="js-play-video1035435587814_14" class="btn_txt img-overlay img-overlay_lg img-overlay_default img-overlay_middle img-overlay_video">
                                            <i class="fa fa-play" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Play</span>
                                          </button>
                                          <picture>
                                            <source media="(max-width: 480px)" srcset="https://media3.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/2017-08-29t22-38-32-166z--1280x720.nbcnews-ux-360-200.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 480px) and (max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://media3.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/2017-08-29t22-38-32-166z--1280x720.nbcnews-ux-440-240.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 999px)" srcset="https://media3.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/2017-08-29t22-38-32-166z--1280x720.nbcnews-ux-800-440.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 1000px) and (max-width: 1229px)" srcset="https://media3.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/2017-08-29t22-38-32-166z--1280x720.nbcnews-ux-1080-600.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 1230px)" srcset="https://media3.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/2017-08-29t22-38-32-166z--1280x720.nbcnews-ux-1240-700.jpg" />
                                            <img class="img_tease" src="https://media3.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/2017-08-29t22-38-32-166z--1280x720.nbcnews-ux-1080-600.jpg"  title="Houston Family Loses Six Loved Ones in Harvey Flooding">
                                          </picture>
                                        </div>
                                    </div>
                                </div>
                            </div>
                            <ul class="social-list social-list_widget social-list_horizontal">
                                <li><a class="js-sharethis" data-guid="nn_mal_harvey_missing_family_170829" data-context="inline-share-bar" target='_blank' href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcnews.com%2Fnightly-news%2Fvideo%2Fhouston-family-loses-six-loved-ones-in-harvey-flooding-1035435587814&t=Houston%20Family%20Loses%20Six%20Loved%20Ones%20in%20Harvey%20Flooding">
                                <i class="fa fa-facebook" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Facebook</span>
                              </a></li>
                              <li><a class="js-sharethis" data-guid="nn_mal_harvey_missing_family_170829" data-context="inline-share-bar" target='_blank' href="https://twitter.com/share?text=Houston%20Family%20Loses%20Six%20Loved%20Ones%20in%20Harvey%20Flooding&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcnews.com%2Fnightly-news%2Fvideo%2Fhouston-family-loses-six-loved-ones-in-harvey-flooding-1035435587814&via=nbcnews">
                                <i class="fa fa-twitter" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Twitter</span>
                              </a></li>
                              <li class="cursor-pointer">
                                <i class="js-toggle js-toggle-embed fa fa-code" data-togglecontrols='{"toggleClass":"is-hidden hidden-xs", "selector":".form_embed-wrapper1035435587814_14", "activeTarget":true}' aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Embed</span>
                              </li>
                            </ul>
                            <div data-playerid="video_mpx1035435587814_14" id="1035435587814_14" class="js-play-video img-caption img-caption_video img-caption_lg">
                              <i class="fa fa-play" aria-hidden="true"></i>
                              <strong><span id="title_video_mpx1035435587814_14">Houston Family Loses Six Loved Ones in Harvey Flooding</span></strong>
                                    <span>1:36</span>
                            </div>
                            <span style="font-size: smaller; color:#696969;" class="js-autoplay-toggle-on pull-right is-hidden">autoplay <i class="fa fa-check-square-o fa-1"></i></span>
                            <span style="font-size: smaller; color:#696969;" class="js-autoplay-toggle-off pull-right is-hidden">autoplay <i class="fa fa-square-o fa-1"></i></span>
                            <div class="js-video-embed form_embed-wrapper form_embed-wrapper1035435587814_14 is-hidden">
                              <form action="/">
                                <div class="form_group">
                                  <label for="embed" class="font-small">Copy this code to your website or blog</label>
                                  <textarea id="embed" name="embed" onclick="this.focus();this.select()" class="form_control form_embed" rows="4" readonly="readonly"><iframe src="https://www.nbcnews.com/widget/video-embed/1035435587814" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></textarea>
                                </div>
                              </form>
                            </div>
                        </div>
                        <script>
                            var playerInstance = {
                              videoObj : {"autoPlay":false,"associatedPlaylistUrl":"http://feed.theplatform.com/f/2E2eJC/nnd_hurricaneharvey","availabilityState":"available","canonicalUrl":"https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/houston-family-loses-six-loved-ones-in-harvey-flooding-1035435587814","captionLinks":{"srt":"https://nbcnewsdigital-static.nbcuni.com/snappy/caption/NBC_News/333/335/2017-08-29T22-38-21.567Z--95.8.mp4.srt","web-vtt":"https://nbcnewsdigital-static.nbcuni.com/snappy/caption/NBC_News/333/335/2017-08-29T22-38-21.567Z--95.8.mp4.vtt"},"defaultAssociation":"NBC News/Sections/Nightly News","description":"The Saldivars were escaping rising waters in Greens Bayou when their van was swept off a bridge by fast-moving flood waters.","duration":96,"durationISO":"PT1M35.833S","guid":"nn_mal_harvey_missing_family_170829","hasCaption":true,"mezzVersion":1,"mpxId":"1035435587814","nativeVideo":false,"playbackIsDisabled":false,"pubDate":"2017-08-29T22:38:21.000+0000","shortUrl":"https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/houston-family-loses-six-loved-ones-in-harvey-flooding-1035435587814","source":"Nightly News","thumbnail":"https://media3.s-nbcnews.com/i/MSNBC/Components/Video/201708/2017-08-29T22-38-32-166Z--1280x720.jpg","title":"Houston Family Loses Six Loved Ones in Harvey Flooding","video_playlists":[{"id":"mmlsnnd_hurricaneharvey","label":"Hurricane Harvey"}],"videoType":"Broadcast","videoAssets":[{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Akamai Video","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/fXrFDxoGx1sX?mbr=true","width":1280,"height":720,"bitRate":3371892,"duration":96,"durationISO":"PT1M35.833S"},{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Akamai Video","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/nS9fYdDpQRYq?mbr=true","width":426,"height":240,"bitRate":542744,"duration":96,"durationISO":"PT1M35.8S"},{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Akamai Video","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/wgTTtBzefO08?mbr=true","width":854,"height":480,"bitRate":1629835,"duration":96,"durationISO":"PT1M35.833S"},{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Akamai Video","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/bJX5_X5Idyne?mbr=true","width":640,"height":360,"bitRate":979777,"duration":96,"durationISO":"PT1M35.8S"}],"urls":{"canonical":"https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/houston-family-loses-six-loved-ones-in-harvey-flooding-1035435587814","short":"https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/houston-family-loses-six-loved-ones-in-harvey-flooding-1035435587814"},"type":"widget","widget_type":"inline-video"},
                              placeHolderID : 'video_mpx_1035435587814_14',
                              nextPlaylist : [],
                              nextVideoIndex : 0,
                              isLoaded : false
                            };
                        
                            window.NEWS = window.NEWS || { };
                            NEWS.articleHasVideo = true;
                            NEWS.videoInstances = NEWS.videoInstances || [];
                            NEWS.videoInstances.push(playerInstance);
                        </script>
                      </div>
                      <p> "Every time we hang up he says, 'I'm so sorry,' like it's his fault," Ricardo Saldivar said. "I told him, 'It's not your fault. It's just something that happened.'" </p>
                      <p> The stage for the tragedy was set over the weekend as rain deluged the northeast Houston neighborhood where many members of the tight-knit family live. </p>
                      <p> "No sleep &amp; anxiety, please let this pass sooner," Devy Saldivar, 16, wrote on her Facebook page. </p>
                      <p> <strong>Related: <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-harvey-how-help-storm-victims-n796406">Hurricane Harvey: How to Help Storm Victims</a></strong> </p>
                      <p> By Sunday morning, the floodwaters were rising and the family was panicking. </p>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-container_mobile ad-hide ad-container-box2">
                    <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                    	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                    </div>
                    <div class="ad-content ad-xs box2" data-placement="box2"></div>
                    </div>
                      <p> Danny Saldivar asked his brother Sammy to get the keys to his van and move their elderly parents, 84-year-old Manuel and 81-year-old Belia, both Alzheimer's patients, to dry ground. </p>
                    <figure class="img_half">
                      <noscript><img class="img-responsive img_inline" src="https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_35/2135641/170828-manuel-bella-saldivar-se-610p_5d7b83a40af9686c3e967b7bc26b9c55.nbcnews-fp-360-360.jpg" alt="Image:" title="Image:" /></noscript>
                      <a href="https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_35/2135641/170828-manuel-bella-saldivar-se-610p_5d7b83a40af9686c3e967b7bc26b9c55.nbcnews-ux-2880-1000.jpg" class="js-lightbox lightbox_link">
                        <button class="btn btn_overlay"><i class="fa fa-expand"></i></button>
                        <img class="img-responsive img_inline" src="https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_35/2135641/170828-manuel-bella-saldivar-se-610p_5d7b83a40af9686c3e967b7bc26b9c55.nbcnews-ux-1024-900.jpg" alt="Image:" title="Image:"/>
                      </a>
                      <div class="js-caption_wrapper">
                        <figcaption class="img-caption img-caption_default no-margin-bottom"><span class="img-caption_txt">Manuel and Bella Saldivar.</span> <i class="fa fa-camera" aria-hidden="true"></i>Virginia Saldivar</figcaption>
                      </div>
                    </figure>
                  
                      <p> He also suggested that Sammy stop by the house across the street and collect Manuel and Belia's great-grandchildren: Devy, 15-year-old Dominic, 8-year-old Xavier and 6-year-old Daisy. </p>
                      <p> The plan was to drive them all to Ricardo's house, which meant crossing a bridge over the swollen bayou. Sammy told his family that Manuel told him to just forge ahead, so he drove over. </p>
                      <p> "When he got across, the road dipped down and the current swept the van to the right and put it in the bayou," Ricardo said. </p>
                      <p> "Sammy told me he panicked and he got scared. Him and mom and dad were under water already," he said. "He squeezed out [of] his belt...he just squeezed out a halfway open window and grabbed onto a branch and that's what saved his life." </p>
                      <p> Sammy, his brother said, wanted to dive in and "do something" but he knew if he let go of the tree, he'd be swept to his death by the currents. </p>
                      <p> "He just hung on and kept screaming for help," Ricardo said. </p>
                  
                      <div class="js-player-shell" data-playertype="Inline">
                        <div class="widget widget_video widget_trusted">
                            <div class="video-viewport">
                                <div class="intrinsic">
                                    <div class="intrinsic-wrapper ratio-16x9">
                                        <div id="video_mpx_1034930243826_14" class="js-video-placeholder vilynx_enabled" vilynx-id="https://www.today.com/video/hurricane-harvey-devastates-houston-as-trump-heads-to-texas-at-least-3-dead-1034930243826" data-mpxid="1034930243826" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%;">
                                          <button id="js-play-video1034930243826_14" class="btn_txt img-overlay img-overlay_lg img-overlay_default img-overlay_middle img-overlay_video">
                                            <i class="fa fa-play" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Play</span>
                                          </button>
                                          <picture>
                                            <source media="(max-width: 480px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_news_holt_harvey_170829.nbcnews-ux-360-200.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 480px) and (max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_news_holt_harvey_170829.nbcnews-ux-440-240.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 999px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_news_holt_harvey_170829.nbcnews-ux-800-440.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 1000px) and (max-width: 1229px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_news_holt_harvey_170829.nbcnews-ux-1080-600.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 1230px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_news_holt_harvey_170829.nbcnews-ux-1240-700.jpg" />
                                            <img class="img_tease" src="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_news_holt_harvey_170829.nbcnews-ux-1080-600.jpg"  title="Hurricane Harvey devastates Houston as Trump heads to Texas; at least 3 dead">
                                          </picture>
                                        </div>
                                    </div>
                                </div>
                            </div>
                            <ul class="social-list social-list_widget social-list_horizontal">
                                <li><a class="js-sharethis" data-guid="tdy_news_holt_harvey_170829" data-context="inline-share-bar" target='_blank' href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.today.com%2Fvideo%2Fhurricane-harvey-devastates-houston-as-trump-heads-to-texas-at-least-3-dead-1034930243826&t=Hurricane%20Harvey%20devastates%20Houston%20as%20Trump%20heads%20to%20Texas%3B%20at%20least%203%20dead">
                                <i class="fa fa-facebook" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Facebook</span>
                              </a></li>
                              <li><a class="js-sharethis" data-guid="tdy_news_holt_harvey_170829" data-context="inline-share-bar" target='_blank' href="https://twitter.com/share?text=Hurricane%20Harvey%20devastates%20Houston%20as%20Trump%20heads%20to%20Texas%3B%20at%20least%203%20dead&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.today.com%2Fvideo%2Fhurricane-harvey-devastates-houston-as-trump-heads-to-texas-at-least-3-dead-1034930243826&via=nbcnews">
                                <i class="fa fa-twitter" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Twitter</span>
                              </a></li>
                              <li class="cursor-pointer">
                                <i class="js-toggle js-toggle-embed fa fa-code" data-togglecontrols='{"toggleClass":"is-hidden hidden-xs", "selector":".form_embed-wrapper1034930243826_14", "activeTarget":true}' aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Embed</span>
                              </li>
                            </ul>
                            <div data-playerid="video_mpx1034930243826_14" id="1034930243826_14" class="js-play-video img-caption img-caption_video img-caption_lg">
                              <i class="fa fa-play" aria-hidden="true"></i>
                              <strong><span id="title_video_mpx1034930243826_14">Hurricane Harvey devastates Houston as Trump heads to Texas; at least 3 dead</span></strong>
                                    <span>3:09</span>
                            </div>
                            <span style="font-size: smaller; color:#696969;" class="js-autoplay-toggle-on pull-right is-hidden">autoplay <i class="fa fa-check-square-o fa-1"></i></span>
                            <span style="font-size: smaller; color:#696969;" class="js-autoplay-toggle-off pull-right is-hidden">autoplay <i class="fa fa-square-o fa-1"></i></span>
                            <div class="js-video-embed form_embed-wrapper form_embed-wrapper1034930243826_14 is-hidden">
                              <form action="/">
                                <div class="form_group">
                                  <label for="embed" class="font-small">Copy this code to your website or blog</label>
                                  <textarea id="embed" name="embed" onclick="this.focus();this.select()" class="form_control form_embed" rows="4" readonly="readonly"><iframe src="https://www.nbcnews.com/widget/video-embed/1034930243826" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></textarea>
                                </div>
                              </form>
                            </div>
                        </div>
                        <script>
                            var playerInstance = {
                              videoObj : {"autoPlay":false,"associatedPlaylistUrl":"http://feed.theplatform.com/f/2E2eJC/nnd_hurricaneharvey","availabilityState":"expired","canonicalUrl":"https://www.today.com/video/hurricane-harvey-devastates-houston-as-trump-heads-to-texas-at-least-3-dead-1034930243826","captionLinks":{"smpte-tt":"https://videocaptions.nbcnews.com/smpte-tt/tdy_news_holt_harvey_170829.tt","srt":"https://videocaptions.nbcnews.com/srt/tdy_news_holt_harvey_170829.srt","web-vtt":"https://videocaptions.nbcnews.com/web-vtt/tdy_news_holt_harvey_170829.vtt"},"defaultAssociation":"Today/Sections/News","description":"At least three people in Texas have died due to Hurricane Harvey, but dozens more are missing, including six family members whose relatives say their van was swept away by rising floodwaters. As shelters in the Houston area fill, President Trump is heading to Texas. NBC's Lester Holt reports for TODAY from Houston.","duration":189,"durationISO":"PT3M9.389S","guid":"tdy_news_holt_harvey_170829","hasCaption":true,"mezzVersion":2,"mpxId":"1034930243826","nativeVideo":false,"playbackIsDisabled":false,"pubDate":"2017-08-29T11:02:27.000+0000","shortUrl":"https://www.today.com/video/hurricane-harvey-devastates-houston-as-trump-heads-to-texas-at-least-3-dead-1034930243826","source":"TODAY","thumbnail":"https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/i/MSNBC/Components/Video/201708/tdy_news_holt_harvey_170829.jpg","title":"Hurricane Harvey devastates Houston as Trump heads to Texas; at least 3 dead","video_playlists":[{"id":"mmlsnnd_hurricaneharvey","label":"Hurricane Harvey"}],"videoType":"Broadcast","videoAssets":[{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"OnceURL","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/rVFwnbLE2G8J","width":0,"height":0,"bitRate":0,"duration":189,"durationISO":"PT3M9S"},{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Limelight MP4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/E2heBCUk727S","width":424,"height":240,"bitRate":500000,"duration":189,"durationISO":"PT3M9.389S"},{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Limelight MP4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/onKsZubX_420","width":640,"height":360,"bitRate":800000,"duration":189,"durationISO":"PT3M9.389S"}],"urls":{"canonical":"https://www.today.com/video/hurricane-harvey-devastates-houston-as-trump-heads-to-texas-at-least-3-dead-1034930243826","short":"https://www.today.com/video/hurricane-harvey-devastates-houston-as-trump-heads-to-texas-at-least-3-dead-1034930243826"},"type":"widget","widget_type":"inline-video"},
                              placeHolderID : 'video_mpx_1034930243826_14',
                              nextPlaylist : [],
                              nextVideoIndex : 0,
                              isLoaded : false
                            };
                        
                            window.NEWS = window.NEWS || { };
                            NEWS.articleHasVideo = true;
                            NEWS.videoInstances = NEWS.videoInstances || [];
                            NEWS.videoInstances.push(playerInstance);
                        </script>
                      </div>
                      <p> Elsewhere, the family anxiously waited for news that everyone in the van was safe. Danny Saldivar posted photos of water lapping at his front door on Facebook. </p>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-container_mobile ad-hide ad-container-box3">
                    <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                    	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                    </div>
                    <div class="ad-content ad-xs box3" data-placement="box3"></div>
                    </div>
                      <p> "My brother has my van with my mom and dad some where," he wrote. "Not answering the phone... I hope they are safe and sound and got out of the floodwaters." </p>
                      <p> By the time deputies got to Sammy, there was no sign of the rest of the Saldivars and little chance they had survived. </p>
                      <p> "All he could tell the sheriff is, 'The van is down there,'" Ricardo said. </p>
                      <p> <strong>Related: <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/after-harvey-leaves-houston-faces-years-rebuilding-n796871">Houston Faces Years of Rebuilding After Harvey</a></strong> </p>
                      <p> The Harris County sheriff's office confirmed in a tweet that it had rescued Sammy Saldivar and that he had told them the van was swept away before his eyes, but they could not confirm any other details. </p>
                      <p> Forty-eight hours later, the water had not receded enough to allow recovery crews to look for the vehicle. Relatives said they could not really begin to grieve until it was found and their worst fears were confirmed. </p>
                      <p> The children's mother had been trying to get a boat ride so she could go to the bayou herself and look for them. She was too distraught to speak to anyone, relatives said. </p>
                  
                      <div class="widget widget_tweet">
                                  <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Deputies on Sunday rescued a man from Greens Bayou flood waters, who stated his van with 6 relatives was submerged. Van has not been located</p>— HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) <a href="https://twitter.com/HCSOTexas/status/902353011871272960">August 29, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
                      </div>
                      <p> "They were the sweetest kids," the children's grandmother, Virginia Saldivar, told NBC News. "Devy loved animals, Starbucks and thrift store shopping. She was my sunflower, my sunshine. Xavier was the sweetest boy. He loved anything Army and playing video games. </p>
                      <p> "Daisy was our princess. She was grandpa's girl. She loved kittens and dressing up, and watching YouTube videos. Dominic was my heart. He was the most amazing, loving boy. He loved playing his trombone, watching YouTube and playing video games. He loved his family and he would defend them against anything," she said. </p>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-container_mobile ad-hide ad-container-box4">
                    <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                    	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                    </div>
                    <div class="ad-content ad-xs box4" data-placement="box4"></div>
                    </div>
                      <p> "These kids lived across the street from us and we would see them everyday. They were our life." </p>
                      <p> Ricardo Saldivar said that while it would be a blow to lose his parents, they had lived a long life and were restricted by dementia. It was the death of the four young siblings, who had their whole lives ahead of them, that would be so crushing. </p>
                      <p> "It's a lot to bear," he said. "I just keep thinking no matter how bad I feel, I know my brother Sammy is that much worse because he was right there and couldn't do nothing about it." </p>
                      <p> <em>Miguel Almaguer reported from Houston and Tracy Connor reported from New York.</em> </p>
                </div>
              </div>
              <div class="article_meta article_share-md-gutter article_max">
                <div class="js-bottom-limit article_meta-container">
                    <div class="author_container">
                      <div class="author">
                          <div class="img_bio-container">
                            <img class="js-lazy img_bio" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" data-original="https://media3.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2014_04/126991/140120-miguel-almaguer-byline_3_f02e6b92eb3a18d6a3cd972c497567ee.nbcnews-fp-320-320.jpg" alt="Miguel Almaguer"/>
                          </div>
                        <div class="author_name">Miguel Almaguer</div>
                          <ul class="social-list social-list_author">
                              <li><a href="https://twitter.com/@MiguelNBC" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-twitter" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Twitter</span></a></li>
                          </ul>
                      </div>
                    </div>
                    <div class="author_container">
                      <div class="author">
                          <div class="img_bio-container">
                            <img class="js-lazy img_bio" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" data-original="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2015_19/1010581/tc1_83046c0620c729515c1da7ac49aae621.nbcnews-fp-320-320.jpg" alt="Tracy Connor"/>
                          </div>
                        <div class="author_name">Tracy Connor</div>
                          <ul class="social-list social-list_author">
                              <li><a href="https://twitter.com/TracyConnor" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-twitter" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Twitter</span></a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/tracyconnoratnbc" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-facebook" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Facebook</span></a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/105949725166488407127?rel&#x3D;author" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-google-plus" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Google Plus</span></a></li>
                              <li><a href="mailto:tracy.connor@nbcuni.com"><i class="fa fa-envelope-o" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Email</span></a></li>
                          </ul>
                      </div>
                    </div>
                  
                  
                  <div class="flag_article-meta">
                    <span class="article_meta-title article_meta-title-sm">
                      Topics
                    </span>
                    <a class="flag flag_article-topic" href="/news">News</a>, <a class="flag flag_article-topic" href="/news/latino">Latino</a>, <a class="flag flag_article-topic" href="/news/weather">Weather</a>, <a class="flag flag_article-topic" href="/news/us-news">U.S. news</a></div>
                    <div class="timestamp_meta">
                      <span class="article_meta-title article_meta-title-sm">First Published</span> <time class="timestamp_article" datetime="2017-08-29T18:43:50.000Z">Aug 29 2017, 2:43 pm ET</time>
                
                
                    </div>
                </div>
              </div>
            </div>
            <div class="row_article article-footer_container article_max">
              <div class="article-nav article_share-md-gutter">
                  <div class="article-nav_container">
                    <span class="article_meta-title"><i class="fa fa-arrow-down" aria-hidden="true"></i> Next Story</span>
                    <a id="next-story_797196" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/harvey-hit-texans-still-struggle-recovery-amid-housing-challenges-n833291">Harvey-hit Texans still struggle with recovery amid housing challenges</a>
                  </div>
              </div>
              <div class="article_col-main article_col-main-left article-footer article_share-md-gutter">
                      <div class="ad-container ad-xs ad-sm ad-md ad-lg taboolabelow ad-hide"></div>
                
              </div>
            </div>
            <div class="rail rail_article">
              <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-hide ad-container-boxflex">
              <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
              	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
              </div>
              <div class="ad-content ad-sm ad-md ad-lg boxflex" data-placement="boxflex"></div>
              </div>
                  <div class="ad-container ad-sm ad-md ad-lg xfinityrail ad-hide" data-iframesrc="/pages/ads/xfinity/rightrail.html">
                    <iframe class="ad-revpanel_iframe ad-revpanel_xfinity-rail" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
                  </div>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-sm ad-md ad-lg taboolarail ad-hide"></div>
              <div class="ad-break-rightrail ad-hide"></div>
              <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-desktoptemplate ad-hide">
              <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
              	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
              </div>
              <div class="ad-content ad-sm ad-md ad-lg" data-placement=""></div>
              </div>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-sm ad-md ad-lg perfectmarket ad-hide" data-iframesrc="/pages/ads/perfectmarket/rightrail.html?csrc=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196">
                      <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                      	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                      </div>
                      <iframe class="ad-revpanel_iframe ad-revpanel_perfectmarket-rail" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
                    </div>
              
            </div>
          </div>
        </div>

    <script>

      // Note: this loads inside the article body
      if (typeof articleApp !== 'undefined') { // only execute after pageload
        articleApp.hasLoadedAjaxArticle = true;
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle = {"contentSource":"NBCNews","pageName":"nbcnews:post:family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van","page":"article","section":"nightly-news","topic":"us-news","byline":"Miguel Almaguer","externalId":"797196","contentType":"post","entryId":"797196","headline":"Family Describes Horror of Harvey Flood That Swept Away Six in Van","summary":"Six members of the Saldivar family are still missing after their van was swept away by Hurricane Harvey floodwaters.","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196","createdDate":"2017-08-29 18:43:50 Z","publishDate":"2017-08-30 11:25:46 Z","modifiedDate":"2017-08-30 11:25:47 Z","videoCount":2,"channelSection":"nightly-news","isFeature":false,"storyline":"Hurricane Harvey"}; // adds Analytics data so it can be used for analyticsDataLayerHistory
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.externalId = '797196'; // articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.headline = "";
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.canonical_url = 'https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196';
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.type = 'post';
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.sectionTopic = '/storyline/hurricane-harvey';

        // re-init value for DTM
        window.analyticsDataLayer = {"contentSource":"NBCNews","pageName":"nbcnews:post:family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van","page":"article","section":"nightly-news","topic":"us-news","byline":"Miguel Almaguer","externalId":"797196","contentType":"post","entryId":"797196","headline":"Family Describes Horror of Harvey Flood That Swept Away Six in Van","summary":"Six members of the Saldivar family are still missing after their van was swept away by Hurricane Harvey floodwaters.","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196","createdDate":"2017-08-29 18:43:50 Z","publishDate":"2017-08-30 11:25:46 Z","modifiedDate":"2017-08-30 11:25:47 Z","videoCount":2,"channelSection":"nightly-news","isFeature":false,"storyline":"Hurricane Harvey"};
        articleApp.analyticsDataLayerHistory.push(articleApp.lastAjaxArticle);
        window.analyticsDataLayer.sectionTopic = '/storyline/hurricane-harvey';

        window.videoAnalyticsDataLayer.channelSection = analyticsDataLayer.channelSection;

        $(function () {
          articleApp.articleViewBindings(true, '797196');
        });
      }
    </script>
  </article>
</div>


</main>
<footer class="site-footer" role="contentinfo">
  <div class="grid_default">
    <div class="container-gutter">
      <div class="container">
        <div class="row">
          <div class="col-xs-12">
            <ul class="nav-bar nav-bar_sm nav-bar_alt">
              <li><a href="/pages/about-nbc-news-digital">About Us</a></li>
              <li><a href="/pages/careers">Careers</a></li>
              <li><a href="/pages/contact-us">Contact</a>
              </li>
              <li>
                <a href="https://www.nbcuniversal.com/privacy/full-privacy-policy/">Privacy Policy</a></li>
              <li>
                <a href="/pages/terms-of-service">Terms of Service
                </a>
              </li>
              <li>
                <a href="/pages/sitemap">nbcnews.com Site Map</a>
              </li>
              <li>
                <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/">Advertise</a>
              </li>
              <li>
                <a href="https://info.evidon.com/pub_info/1195?v=1">AdChoices</a>
              </li>
              <li class="legal">&copy; 2018 NBCnews.com</li>
            </ul>
          </div>
        </div>
        <div class="row">
          <div class="col-xs-12">
            <ul class="nav-bar nav-bar_brand">
              <li class="brand-cnbc">
                <a href="https://cnbc.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/non-rev/footer-logo-cnbc.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="CNBC"/>
                </a>
              </li>
              <li class="brand-msnbc">
                <a href="http://msnbc.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/nbcnews-assets/footer-logo-msnbc-upper.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="msnbc"/>
                </a>
              </li>
              <li class="brand-nbcnews">
                <a href="https://nbcnews.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/non-rev/footer-logo-nbcnews.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="NBC NEWS"/>
                </a>
              </li>
              <li class="brand-today">
                <a href="https://www.today.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/nbcnews-assets/footer-logo-today-jul15.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="TODAY"/>
                </a>
              </li>
              <li class="brand-xfinity">
                <a href="https://xfinity.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/non-rev/footer-logo-xfinity.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="xfinity"/>
                </a>
              </li>
            </ul>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</footer>

<!-- Dynamic Yield Code -->
<script type="text/javascript">
    DY = {scsec : 8765428 ,API: function(){(DY.API.actions = DY.API.actions || []).push(arguments)}};
</script>
<script async type="text/javascript" src="//cdn.dynamicyield.com/api/8765428/api_dynamic.js"></script>
<script async type="text/javascript" src="//cdn.dynamicyield.com/api/8765428/api_static.js"></script>

<script src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/scripts/vendor/e13156bf.modernizr.js"></script>

  <script type="text/javascript">
    var screenWidth = {'small': 768, 'medium':1000, 'large':1230}
  
    var mpsapp = {
      currentBreakpoint: "",
      breakpointSizes: {'xs':'xs', 'sm':'sm', 'md':'md', 'lg':'lg'},
      init: function(){
        this.currentBreakpoint = this.getBreakpoint();
        this.isPixelmanEnabled = this.getPixelmanEnabled();
      },
      getBreakpoint: function(){
        var width = document.documentElement.clientWidth;
  
        if(width < screenWidth.small) {
          return this.breakpointSizes.xs;
        }
        else if(width >= screenWidth.small && width < screenWidth.medium) {
          return this.breakpointSizes.sm;
        }
        else if(width >= screenWidth.medium && width < screenWidth.large) {
          return this.breakpointSizes.md;
        }
        else if(width >= screenWidth.large) {
          return this.breakpointSizes.lg;
        }
        return this.breakpointSizes.lg;
      },
      isPixelmanEnabled: false,
      getPixelmanEnabled: function(){
        if (this.currentBreakpoint === this.breakpointSizes.lg || this.currentBreakpoint === this.breakpointSizes.md){
          return true;
        }
        return false;
      }
    }
    mpsapp.init();
  
    var ads = {
      site: 'nbcnews.com',
      mpscall: {
        site: 'nbcnews-web',
        path: '/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196',
        cat: 'nightly-news|latino',
        type: 'post',
        articleIndex: 1,
      },
      videoPlayer: {
        freewheelValue: 'nbcnews_fallbacksitesection',
        sect:'',
        topic:'',
        show:'',
        storyline:'',
        feature:''
      },
        videoData: {
          section: 'nightly-news',
          topic:'latino',
          show:'nightly-news',
          storyline:'hurricane-harvey',
          feature:''
        },
        storylineList: 'hurricane-harvey',
        sectionList: 'nightly-news|news',
      init: function(){
  
      },
      getFreewheelSiteSection: function(){
        return ((_site && !_site.isMobile) ? 'nbcnews_allos_web_ondemand' : 'nbcnews_mobile_allos_web_ondemand');
      },
      getFreewheelSection: function(){
        if(mps && mps.pagevars){
          return mps.pagevars.freewheel_section
        }
        return 'nbcnews_fallbacksitesection';
      },
      getVideoPlayerConfig: function(){
  
        if (mps && mps.pagevars){
          this.videoPlayer.freewheelValue = mps.pagevars.freewheel_section;
  
          if(mps.pagevars.cats){
            var mpsSection = mps.pagevars.cats[0];
            this.videoPlayer.sect = mpsSection;
            this.videoPlayer.show = mpsSection;
          }
        }
  
        return this.videoPlayer;
      }
    }
    ads.init();
  
  </script>
  
  <script type="text/javascript">
    var mpsopts = {'host':'mps.nbcnews.com'};
    mpsopts.isHostStage = function(){
      if (window.location.href.indexOf('prodads=true') > -1 || window.location.host.indexOf('sys02') === 0){return false;}
      if (window.location.href.indexOf('stageads=true') > -1 || window.location.host.indexOf('sys') === 0 || window.location.host.indexOf('local.nbcnews.com:9001') === 0  || window.location.host.indexOf('nbcnews.com') === -1){return true;}
      return false;
    };
    if (mpsopts.isHostStage()) {mpsopts.host = 'stage.mps.nbcnews.com';}
    var mpscall = {};
    mpscall.site = ads.mpscall.site;
    mpscall.path = ads.mpscall.path;
    mpscall.cat = ads.mpscall.cat;
    mpscall.type = ads.mpscall.type;
    mpscall['cag[entryno]'] = ads.mpscall.articleIndex;
  
    if (ads.sectionList){
      mpscall['cag[sections]'] = ads.sectionList;
    }
  
    if(ads.storylineList){
      mpscall['cag[storylines]'] = ads.storylineList;
    }
  
    if (ads.noAds){
      mpscall['cag[noads]'] =  ads.noAds;
    }
  
    var mps = mps || {};
    document.write('<scr'+'ipt id="mps-ext-load" src="//'+mpsopts.host+'/fetch/ext/load-'+mpscall.site+'.js"></scr'+'ipt>');
  </script>

<script>
  function viewport() {
    var e = window, t = "inner";
    if (!("innerWidth"in window)) {
      t = "client";
      e = document.documentElement || document.body
    }
    return {width: e[t + "Width"], height: e[t + "Height"]}
  }
</script>
<script src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/scripts/vendor-8bdaecde8f.bundle.min.js"></script>
<script>

    var stylesheets = [
        'https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/styles/fonts-b858ad4bb0.min.css',
        'https://netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css',
        'https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/weather-icons/1.2/css/weather-icons.min.css',
        'https://nvcdn.nbcnews.com/_elliott/jenga_css?widgets=zinger2'
    ];
    function onloadCSS( ss, callback ) {ss.onload = function() {ss.onload = null;if( callback ) {callback.call( ss );}};if( "isApplicationInstalled" in navigator && "onloadcssdefined" in ss ) {ss.onloadcssdefined( callback );}}

    setTimeout(function () {
        if(!getCookie('fonts_cached')){
            var fonts = loadCSS(stylesheets[0]);
            onloadCSS(fonts, function() {
                $.cookie('fonts_cached','Y', {path:'/', expires: 14});
            });
        }
        loadCSS(stylesheets[1]);
        loadCSS(stylesheets[2]);
        loadCSS(stylesheets[3]);
    }, 1);

  window.DTM = {
    routedata:{},
    routename: 'article',
    pagetype: '',
    taxonomy: 'hurricane-harvey',
    taxonomy_parent: '',
    social_share : {}
  };

  window.analyticsDataLayer = {"contentSource":"NBCNews","pageName":"nbcnews:post:family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van","page":"article","section":"nightly-news","topic":"us-news","byline":"Miguel Almaguer","externalId":"797196","contentType":"post","entryId":"797196","headline":"Family Describes Horror of Harvey Flood That Swept Away Six in Van","summary":"Six members of the Saldivar family are still missing after their van was swept away by Hurricane Harvey floodwaters.","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196","createdDate":"2017-08-29 18:43:50 Z","publishDate":"2017-08-30 11:25:46 Z","modifiedDate":"2017-08-30 11:25:47 Z","videoCount":2,"channelSection":"nightly-news","isFeature":false,"storyline":"Hurricane Harvey"};
</script>

  <script src="https://assets.adobedtm.com/cd771b0aa897f931a306d7ab6af0d448836b5fd1/satelliteLib-d7647ef38f862ffb17587d65d0a95182256c1765.js"></script>

  <script async src="https://nvcdn.nbcnews.com/_elliott/jenga?widgets=newsletter,zinger2"></script>
<script>
  $(function () {
    if (!Modernizr.svg) {
      $('.svg-fallback').attr('src', function () {
        return $(this).attr('src').replace(/\.(svg)$/i, '.png');
      });
    }
  });
</script>

<script src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/scripts/main-4f0955b1c5.bundle.min.js"></script>


  <div id="playerframe" class="playerframe" style="position: absolute">
    <div id="js-player-loading" class="loading_container is-hidden">
      <div class="loading_indicator"></div>
    </div>
    <div id="js-control-rack-placeholder"></div>
  </div>

  <script type="text/template" id="js-control-rack">
    <% if ((isAd) || (isVideo && useDuringContent)) { %>
      <% if ((lastMouseMove + hideDelay) > (currentTime)) { %>
        <div class="controlrack_video-ad-scrubber" id="video-control-rack">
          <% if (isPlaying) { %>
            <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-pause">
              <i class="fa fa-pause" aria-label="Pause"></i>
            </div>
          <% } else { %>
            <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-play">
              <i class="fa fa-play" aria-label="Play"></i>
            </div>
          <% } %>
          <% if (isAd) { %>
            <div class="controlrack_ad-control">
              <div class="controlrack_center-content">
                Your video begins in <div class="controlrack_ad-time">
                  <%- timeFormat(endTime-currentTime) %>
                </div>
              </div>
            </div>
          <% } %>
          <% if (isLive) { %>
            <div class="controlrack_ad-control">
              <div class="controlrack_center-content">
                <div class="controlrack_ad-time">
                  <i class="fa fa-circle">  </i>LIVE
                </div>
              </div>
            </div>
          <% } %>
          <% if (isVideo && !isAd && !isLive) { %>
            <div class="time-control">
              <div class="time time-progress">
                <%-timeFormat(currentTime)%>
              </div>
              <div class="scrubber-wrapper">
                <div class="scrubber">
                  <div id="scrubber-status" class="scrubber-status" style="width: <%= Math.floor((currentTime * 100) / endTime) %>%">&nbsp;</div>
                </div>
              </div>
              <div class="time time-end">
                <%-timeFormat(endTime)%>
              </div>
            </div>
          <% } %>
          <% if (isVideo || isLive) { %>
            <div class="btn-right">
              <% if (isDesktop) { %>
                <% if (inMutedState) { %>
                  <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-volume-off">
                    <i class="fa fa-volume-off"></i>
                  </div>
                <% } else { %>
                  <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-volume-on">
                    <i class="fa fa-volume-up"></i>
                  </div>
                <% } %>
              <% } %>
                <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-cc">
                    <i class="fa fa-cc"></i>
                    <% if (ccMenuOpen) { %>
                      <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-ccOptions">
                        <i class="fa fa-option">Options</i>
                        <i class="fa fa-english">English</i>
                        <i class="fa fa-off">Off</i>
                      </div>
                    <% } %>
                </div>
              <% if (inFullscreenState) { %>
                <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-compress">
                  <i class="fa fa-compress"></i>
                </div>
              <% } else { %>
                <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-expand">
                  <i class="fa fa-expand"></i>
                </div>
              <% } %>
            </div>
          <% } %>
        </div>
      <% } %>
    <% } %>
  </script>

  <script src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/scripts/articleApp-d2de6d339f.bundle.min.js"></script>
 <script>
    $(function () {
      // reminder: this only loads on initial pageload
      articleApp.articleViewBindings(false, '797196');
      articleApp.sectionTopic = '/storyline/hurricane-harvey';
      articleApp.nextArticles = [{"externalId":"833291","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/harvey-hit-texans-still-struggle-recovery-amid-housing-challenges-n833291","headline":"Harvey-hit Texans still struggle with recovery amid housing challenges","id":"ncna833291"},{"externalId":"832011","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/houston-mayor-makes-desperate-plea-hurricane-harvey-recovery-aid-n832011","headline":"Houston mayor makes desperate plea for Hurricane Harvey recovery aid","id":"ncna832011"},{"externalId":"827571","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/slideshow/storm-battered-teams-face-final-football-showdown-n827571","headline":"Storm-battered teams face final football showdown","id":"ncsl827571"},{"externalId":"821946","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/white-house-requests-44-billion-additional-disaster-relief-n821946","headline":"White House requests $44 billion in additional disaster relief ","id":"ncna821946"},{"externalId":"819851","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/two-months-after-harvey-coastal-texas-towns-still-desperate-housing-n819851","headline":"Two Months After Harvey, Coastal Texas Towns Still Desperate for Housing","id":"ncna819851"},{"externalId":"815211","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/economists-say-farmers-lost-200-million-during-hurricane-harvey-n815211","headline":"Economists Say Farmers Lost $200 Million During Hurricane Harvey","id":"ncna815211"},{"externalId":"811896","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-deepens-divide-between-houston-s-haves-have-nots-n811896","headline":"Receding Waters in Houston Reveal Families' Divergent Paths to Recovery","id":"ncna811896"},{"externalId":"812996","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/former-presidents-call-unity-hurricane-aid-concert-n812996","headline":"Former Presidents Call for Unity at Hurricane Aid Concert","id":"ncna812996"},{"externalId":"812961","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/five-former-u-s-presidents-appearing-texas-hurricane-relief-concert-n812961","headline":"Five Former U.S. Presidents Appearing at Texas Hurricane Relief Concert","id":"ncna812961"},{"externalId":"812686","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/houston-suburb-harvey-relief-applicants-don-t-boycott-israel-n812686","headline":"Houston Suburb to Harvey Relief Applicants: Don't Boycott Israel","id":"ncna812686"}];
      articleApp.articleContext = {"contentSource":"NBCNews","pageName":"nbcnews:post:family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van","page":"article","section":"nightly-news","topic":"us-news","byline":"Miguel Almaguer","externalId":"797196","contentType":"post","entryId":"797196","headline":"Family Describes Horror of Harvey Flood That Swept Away Six in Van","summary":"Six members of the Saldivar family are still missing after their van was swept away by Hurricane Harvey floodwaters.","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/family-describes-horror-harvey-flood-swept-away-six-van-n797196","createdDate":"2017-08-29 18:43:50 Z","publishDate":"2017-08-30 11:25:46 Z","modifiedDate":"2017-08-30 11:25:47 Z","videoCount":2,"channelSection":"nightly-news","isFeature":false,"storyline":"Hurricane Harvey"};

      window.videoAnalyticsDataLayer ={};
      window.videoAnalyticsDataLayer.channelSection = analyticsDataLayer.channelSection;

      articleApp.updateArticle('797196');
    });
  </script>

  <script src="//cdn.taboola.com/libtrc/nbcnews/loader.js"></script>



<script type="text/javascript">_satellite.pageBottom();</script>
  <script type="text/javascript"> 
  	if (mps && typeof(mps.writeFooter) === 'function'){
  		mps.writeFooter();
  	} 
  </script>
<script src="https://jetpack.nbcnews.com/prod/Servejetpack?bucket=jetpack-rev&bundle=jetpack-master/nbcnews"></script>
</body>
</html>
