A newspaper photo of a Colorado sheriff’s deputy wading through floodwater with a baby girl in his arms captured a moment of hope during this month’s storms in the Southwest. But the deputy in the picture, La Plata County Sheriff’s Deputy Brayton Thurber, says the image tells only part of the story. In his telling, the rescue was a team effort, and the real heroes include the baby’s own mother.
Thurber spoke with CBS Colorado this week about the rescue at the Junction Creek Mobile Home Park, northwest of Durango, where floodwaters swamped homes during a weekend of heavy rain. The photo was taken by Jerry McBride of the Durango Herald.
What happened at Junction Creek
According to the Durango Herald, rain fell across southwest Colorado from Friday, Oct. 30, through Sunday afternoon, Nov. 1. It was the second flood event in the region in just over a week. Deputies evacuated residents from the Junction Creek park as water rose, and a Herald photo caption showed a deputy carrying an infant out of a trailer there. A CBS Colorado caption dated the rescue to Nov. 1.
Thurber told CBS Colorado he was the first responder sent to the scene, and that he quickly reported back that more help would be needed. What makes his story stand out is what he did before the flood. About a week earlier, he had visited the community and noticed one trailer in a vulnerable spot. A young mother and her infant lived there. He said the home had stayed on his mind as a high priority.
When the water came up, that preparation paid off. Deputies worked alongside the mother and her brother to get the baby out, along with critical supplies, including oxygen equipment the infant relied on. Thurber said he has not reconnected with the mother and child, but he knows they were taken to an evacuation center in the region.
Sharing the credit
Rather than accept the role of lone hero, Thurber pointed to everyone around him. He praised the mother for her part in the rescue, and he credited the deputies and first responders who worked through the night. He also thanked the volunteers who delivered supplies, shoveled mud, checked on neighbors and helped find residents with special needs.
He described the photo as a snapshot of what the whole community had been doing, not just one man. Asked how his county was holding up, Thurber offered an upbeat answer: “I would say La Plata County is still undefeated.”
A region hit twice
The rescue came during a hard stretch for southwest Colorado. The Durango Herald reported that La Plata County Sheriff Sean Smith counted 23 separate flooding incidents, including calls about people trapped in cars. The sheriff closed all county roads on Sunday afternoon, and Durango schools and Fort Lewis College canceled Monday classes.
- Evacuation orders covered mobile home parks in Ignacio, Hesperus and the Animas Valley, plus homes in Durango and Bayfield, the Herald reported.
- Shelters opened at the La Plata County Fairgrounds, Ignacio High School, Bayfield High School and Vallecito Baptist Church.
- The National Weather Service reported 8 to 12 inches of rain at elevations above 11,000 feet.
- In nearby Pagosa Springs, CBS Colorado reported the San Juan River was forecast to crest at a record level as another atmospheric river moved in.
Neighbors stepped up in other ways, too. CBS Colorado told the story of a Durango-area family who had to flee in the night when fast-moving water forced them out. A couple living on higher ground opened their home to them, and the family praised emergency crews who worked around the clock.
Why it matters for families
Thurber’s story is a reminder that a lot of rescue work happens before the emergency. His decision to note which homes were most at risk, and which residents might need extra help, meant he knew where to go first when the water rose. Families can take a page from that. If someone in your home depends on medical equipment, such as oxygen, it helps to plan ahead for how you would move it quickly and where you would go.
It is also a good conversation starter with children. A single photo can make one person look like the whole story. Talking about the mother, the other deputies and the volunteers behind the picture can help kids see that helping others is usually a group effort. Stories of everyday kindness, like the Illinois woman whose daily Lowe’s walks earned her a surprise 100th birthday party, show the same spirit on a smaller scale.
What to watch next
Recovery in La Plata and Archuleta counties will take time, as crews assess damage to homes, roads and other infrastructure. With Veterans Day and Thanksgiving approaching, many local groups are collecting supplies for displaced residents. Upstormed News will follow the recovery, and any reunion between Deputy Thurber and the family he helped.
Read more: Veterans Day 2026 free meals and discounts: what’s confirmed and how to claim
Who is an everyday hero in your community? Tell us in the comments.
Sources: CBS Colorado, “Colorado deputy who rescued infant during La Plata County flooding credits community effort” (November 4, 2026); Durango Herald, “Heavy rainfall prompts evacuations, road closures across Southwest Colorado” (November 1, 2026); CBS Colorado, “Family in southwest Colorado endures sleepless night as floodwaters rise in La Plata County” (November 2, 2026); CBS Colorado, “Just one week after catastrophic flooding, Pagosa Springs faces an even bigger threat” (November 1, 2026)
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