The father of a 12-year-old boy who was rescued from a flash flood in Bethesda last week has donated $10,000 to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services (MCFRS) as a token of his family’s gratitude.
Selva Jayaraman’s son was one of six people, including a 2-year-old and an adult female, rescued by MCFRS units on Thursday, July 31, at the intersection of Bradley Blvd and Mercy Hollow Ln. What began as a call for a single vehicle in distress quickly became a more dangerous situation.
Responding units were alerted by Montgomery County Police to a second, fully submerged vehicle. In a heart-stopping moment, responders saw an 8-year-old boy standing on the roof of the second car, while an adult and a 2-year-old were still trapped inside.
Thanks to the rapid and coordinated efforts of the MCFRS Swift Water Rescue teams, all six people, including Jayaraman’s son, were successfully pulled from the life-threatening conditions. On Sunday, Jayaraman made the $10,000 donation to MCFRS, calling it a small gesture to express his family’s thanks for the heroic rescue efforts.
Today, the father of the 12 year old boy who was rescued by @mcfrs personnel on 7/31 during the Bradley Blvd/Mercy Hollow flooding incident, donated 10K to MCFRS. The father, Selva Jayaraman had expressed the donation was a small token of his family's gratitude. @mcfrsPIO pic.twitter.com/h1jmHaJAZ4
— Pazos@mcfrsPIO (@DavidPazos15) August 3, 2025