S.C. Pastor Wades into Waist-Deep Flood Water to Retrieve Floating Casket

A South Carolina pastor braved waist-high flood waters to retrieve the floating casket of a grieving family's loved one this week.

Wayne H. Reeves of New Life Ministries near Summerville, South Carolina reportedly braved high flood waters this week to retrieve a floating casket that authorities said would not be able to be recovered until the waters receded.

Photos show the pastor wearing flood boots and wading into the water to retrieve the white casket that was floating with a bouquet of flowers placed on its top.

The pastor told local media outlets that he was warned not to go into the waters because they may be contaminated and the current may be too strong.

Reeves reportedly chose to go in anyway, saying "that's not who we are […] This is America, and we're not like that."

The pastor added to the local media outlet WCBD-TV that he retrieved the casket after imagining that his loved one would be floating through the high flood waters.

"If that was my mom or my dad, I'd walk through h*ll and high water [...] and today it happened to be high water," the pastor told the local media outlet. 

Two caskets were reportedly retrieved from the high flood waters, with one belonging to a man and the other to his wife.

"They're already hurt enough, and I don't want them to hurt anymore," Reeves added to the media station regarding the family members who saw their relatives' caskets floating in the water.