'That guy selflessly tossed himself into the car trying to save his family'
ALBANY, Ore. - The community is gathering in the parking lot of Mega Foods to remember 18-year-old Catherine McGloughlin and her 20-month-old son Aiden.
They died Wednesday night after flood waters swept the car they were in into a flooded Periwinkle Creek and downstream into an underground tunnel beneath a road.
The family and community members gathered for a candlelight vigil have a somber mood as they reflect on the tragedy that claimed two lives too soon.
Albany fire officials said Catherine and Aiden were in the car with a 24-year-old Christopher Wilgus and his 5-year-old son Maliki.
Witnesses said Wilgus was driving through high water in the parking lot and mistakenly drove into a flooded canal.
Witnesses told KVAL News that Wilgus managed to get out the car and scream for help as the car sank.
"They turned into the creek and at that point I realized something had gone wrong," Zachary Williams said. "He starts yelling, 'There's kids in the car, there's kids in the car.' We were kicking, we were punching, anything we could do to get into the glass."
Williams said the smashed a window with a hammer but couldn't get anyone out as the car sunk below the water.
Wilgus climbed back in the car, Williams said, just as the rushing waters sucked the car underwater into an underground tunnel.
When fire crews arrived, they found the Wilgus and his son in the water.
The infant boy Aiden was found at 1 a.m. Crews found his mother's body on Thursday.
"I hate to give up hope but I don't know how long people can last under those conditions," Williams said, "but I know that guy selflessly tossed himself into the car trying to save his family."
