Ohio train crew rescues young girl from floodwaters

In the aftermath of flash flooding in southern Ohio, two Norfolk Southern crew members took quick, decisive action to help a young girl in a dangerous situation.

Locomotive Engineer Mark Gaddis and Conductor Ethan Mynes-Wolfe were approaching Circleville, Ohio, operating at a reduced speed due to local conditions. As they moved forward, Mynes-Wolfe kept a close watch on the swollen creeks near the right-of-way.

That’s when something caught his attention.

“I saw a hand, then a head going under water,” Mynes-Wolfe said. “At that point, you’re not really thinking — you just act.”

Acting without hesitation

He immediately alerted Gaddis, who brought the train safely to a stop. Mynes-Wolfe made his way toward the creek, where a young girl was caught in the fast-moving current near a bridge, being pulled toward a culvert.

Using a nearby branch, he reached out.

“She grabbed hold, and I pulled her back to the bank,” he said.

The girl safely made it out of the water. Her older sister, who was nearby, came to check on her. Both indicated they were not injured before heading home.

For Gaddis, a locomotive engineer with more than two decades of experience, the moment underscored the importance of always staying focused and aware. For Mynes-Wolfe, who joined the railroad in 2023, the response came naturally.

“You just hope if it was your family, somebody would do the same,” he said.

A mindset that shows up every day

Their crew’s supervisor, Senior Terminal Manager Steve Holbert, said their actions reflect a broader mindset across Norfolk Southern’s workforce.

“I’m extremely proud of how they handled the situation, but not surprised,” Holbert said. “That awareness and willingness to act is part of how our people operate every day.”

Norfolk Southern crews are taught to stay alert — to their train, their surroundings, and anything that doesn’t look right. In this case, that vigilance and quick thinking helped prevent a dangerous situation from becoming far worse.

Why it matters

That same focus carries across the network, where employees work every day to deliver safely and reliably for customers and the communities Norfolk Southern serves.

By Martin Wattenbarger, Senior Communications Manager

Martin leads internal communications for Norfolk Southern Operations, with an emphasis on safety culture and performance, operational excellence, and employee engagement. He joined NS in 2020 and brings nearly 20 years of combined strategic communications experience in the private and public sectors.