He Dove Into Floodwaters To Help Strangers. What Happened Next Left Him Speechless

August 28, 2025

When catastrophic flooding swept through the Texas Hill Country, most people ran from the danger.

Mike Tracy ran straight into it.

Mike Tracy / KABB FOX San Antonio

The Lockhart gym owner and commercial diver grabbed his gear and drove into the disaster zone, determined to help families searching for loved ones swept away by the floodwaters.

“Everything that we’ve done was out of love,” Mike said, holding back tears. “And it’s been returned—and that’s just a great thing.”

In the days after the tragedy that claimed more than 40 lives, Mike became more than just a diver. He became a leader, a volunteer, and a source of hope. Working in black, debris-filled waters with barely six inches of visibility, he put himself at risk—again and again—to bring grieving families some measure of peace.

His friends saw the depth of his sacrifice.

“He has a servant’s heart,” said Wade, who watched Mike organize and lead others. “He brought all of his gear to help these families—just to help. He didn’t expect anything.”

Paul, another volunteer, said simply: “Mike was the one who stepped up.”

Mike never asked for recognition. He paid for his own gas, used his own equipment—losing some of it in the dangerous currents—and kept showing up until the work was done.

But his friends believed he deserved something in return. So they reached out to Fox San Antonio’s "Cash for Kindness" program.

Mike thought he was walking into an ordinary meeting at an airport hangar in Bulverde. Instead, he was greeted with hugs, thanks, and a moment he never saw coming.

“Mike, I just want to tell you thank you very much for all you’ve done,” Wade said. “You’re inspiring. You put your life on hold to help these families.”

That’s when Fox SA anchor Ryan Wolf stepped forward with the surprise.

“I have a program called Cash for Kindness,” Ryan told him. “We reward people who do good, who give without expecting anything in return. That’s you, Mike.”

Mike reached out his hand, stunned, as $3,000 was placed in it—$1,000 from Fox San Antonio and Air & Plumbing Today, plus another $2,000 from Wade and friends.

For a man who never sought the spotlight, the moment was overwhelming.

Asked what he was feeling, Mike’s voice cracked as he gave just one word:

“Love.”

Watch the video below: