A SERIOUSLY ill Irish teenager who was left stranded in her apartment complex in Houston, Texas has made it to safety.
Shauntelle Tynan, 19, from Co. Carlow, is in the US city for treatment of a rare autoimmune disease and is in urgent need of a blood transfusion.
Earlier this year, the brave teen raised over €600,000 to fund her journey to Texas Children’s Hospital to receive the care.
She endured a harrowing 15-hour wait on Monday before being taken through the floods to the hospital in Houston, where over 17,000 evacuees are being housed in shelters after the worst floods in living memory.
Texas Children’s Hospital is located around 3km from where the teenager and her family have been staying for her treatment.
Shauntelle’s mother, Leona Tynan, had earlier appealed for help in securing the evacuation. Taking to Facebook, she said that her daughter had now made it to safety.
“Thanks to friends of friends and Danny and Charles for going to great lengths to get Shan to Texas Childrens!” she said.
“She is now on her way with Monica while the weather has allowed a path before more flooding is due later today!
Woman who survived Hurricanes Harvey and Katrina: “I took some pliers and a hammer. I bust the windows out… we just wanted to live.” pic.twitter.com/38PAmWGMB4
— CNN (@CNN) August 29, 2017
“So relieved she will be out of danger and can get treatment! Thank you all so, so very much for helping us.”
She added: “Myself, Stephen and Sophie will stay inside and become board game professionals until this storm passes. We are all safe! We will update on Shan as soon as we know more.”
America’s National Hurricane Center has branded the Texas flooding “unprecedented” and said the storm, which crashed ashore late on Friday as a huge Category 4 hurricane, would bring even more rain this week.
At least three people have been killed by the storm so far, with reports of other fatalities still unconfirmed.
Meanwhile, the Irish Network Houston (INH) has said that all of the Irish people in the city who they are in contact with are safe.
However, they said some Irish people are likely to be affected by mandatory evacuations and that more flash flooding is expected.
INH added that churches and a convention centre are being used to house evacuees and that people are being urged not to drive as waters can rise quickly.
