Elderly woman rescued from Kentucky flooding, seen in viral photo sitting in 4 feet of water

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A 98-year-old woman was rescued from Kentucky flooding, and is now the subject of a viral photo showing her sitting on her bed surrounded by four feet of water.

Mae Amburgey's granddaughter said her family didn't leave their home because their house had never flooded beyond some water in the basement. Missy Amburgey Crovetti, who lives in Lake County, Illinois, said this time the water rose faster than they were prepared for.

"I go, OK, they have to get out of this house," she recalled.

In the now-viral photo, Amburgey sits on her bed inside her Letcher County, Kentcuky, home Thursday, surrounded by four feet of water. Her uncle and brother were also trapped.

"Jus seeing this 98-year-old, almost 99-year-old woman sitting in the chaos and looking so helpless," she said.

Cell phone video shows their harrowing escape from the home, swimming through a tough current to where crews waited on boats to rescue them.

The images of houses and cars swallowed by floodwater hit close to home for Corvetti as her loved ones, hundreds of miles away, are now left to face the loss of a house that has been in their family for generations.

"She has lived in that house for 73 years," Crovetti said. "The truth of the matter is it's never going to be the same."

Crovetti said the floodwaters have since receded from the home. She said her brother is cleaning but it's going to be a long time before they can return.