Julian Ryan Dies Heroically After Severing Arm While Saving Family From Floodwaters

In a tragic turn, 27-year-old father Julian Ryan of Ingram, Texas, lost his life trying to save his family from the increasing floodwaters on July 4. Ryan's valiant acts of courage amid disaster have won him the accolades of a genuine family protector, but his life was tragically lost in the act.

The nightmare had begun a day earlier when floodwaters from the neighboring Guadalupe River inundated their dwelling, climbing to shoulder height in just 20 minutes. When the news worsened, Julian and his fiancée, Christina Wilson, waged a frantic fight to keep their roof over their heads. "It just started pouring in," Wilson said of the chaotic moments as the floodwater quickly consumed their home. In a panic, the couple scurried to the back room of their home with their children and Ryan's mother.

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As the water continued to rise, with no help in sight, Julian Ryan took drastic action. He broke a window in an attempt to make an escape route for his family. However, in the act, he severed an artery in his arm, nearly cutting through it. "It severed his artery in his arm," Wilson said, crying. "And almost cut it clean off." Though Wilson and her mother-in-law managed to flee with the children, it was too late for Ryan. And in his last moments, he offered his fiancée the most cruel of goodbyes: "I'm sorry, I'm not going to make it. I love y'all."

Although he desperately tried to defend his family, Julian Ryan was seriously wounded and died. Julian Ryan's heroism in the face of imminent danger is another example of the lengths to which a parent will go to protect their family. His ultimate act of love is a reminder that there are heroes who go unheralded, who put themselves on the line literally and sometimes with their lives to ensure the safety of their loved ones.