Justin Hawkins and Ryan Ancelet see themselves as just two guys with boats among the many others who came out to rescue southeast Texans during the catastrophic flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey.

While most boaters put their vessels into the water from boat launch areas, Hawkins and Ancelet launched from ditches and roads as they maneuvered through street after street bringing residents to safety.

“We just went to the deepest spots and went around looking for people needing help,” Hawkins, of Port Neches, said. “When we started it wasn’t an organized effort yet but by the second day it was a little more organized.”

Hawkins and Ancelet didn’t work together per se. The men know each other and each owns a boat and during the evacuations would see each other.

Hawkins’ first day of rescues was in Fannett. Later he would move to the Lake Arthur area.

“People were flagging us down and it was raining,” he recalled. “We kept doing circles around blocks and as the water got deeper people decided they wanted to leave.”

He spent about six hours helping people during the first day of rescues. The second day was daylight to dark.

“The National Guard actually made us leave at dark,” he said. “It was just me and one volunteer on Jimmy Johnson (Boulevard) that was helping unload and load. He got into the baot with me and ended up riding the rest of the day.”

Hawkins’ main goal was to rescue women, children and the older folks and he would do it again if needed.

“I don’t want to take credit,” he said. “There were a lot of people out there with boats.”

Local business owner Ancelet remembers passing Hawkins throughout the days of rescues. When asked why he decided to join in the effort, he quickly answered.

“Just knowing that people were flooding,” Ancelet, of Port Neches, said.

Ancelet heard of people needing rescue and his business, Ancelet’s, is located on Twin City and backs up to one of the flooded additions.

“I launched off Jimmy Johnson (Boulevard),” he said. “It’s hard to imagine we were going through there by boat. Especially now that’s it’s all dried up. “

Ancelet spent several days doing water rescues even though his second business which is under the Rainbow Bridge, saw about three feet of water which damaged compressors and pumps.

During the massive rescue mission that was taken on by numerous people, Ancelet saw things he hopes to never see again.

“Medical helicopters landing on Twin City Highway. I hope to never see that again,” he said. “I hope it was my first and last time to see that.”

Ancelet described the scene at Jimmy Johnson and Twin City which became a place to launch boats and unload those that were rescued.

“Many didn’t have boats but came to help. It was awesome to see them,” he said. “We would pull up and they’d be waiting to pull people out. We didn’t even have to get out of the boat. They were there in line grabbing luggage and people coming off the boats. Then we’d turn around and go back out. They were offering food and water. When we first left there was hardly anybody out there. Then suddenly there’s a family, then soon there was a ton of people there. It happened quick.”