Oklahoma City Nurse Fights for Health After New Mexico Floods

An Oklahoma City traveling nurse is fighting for his health after being rescued from rising floodwaters in New Mexico, an ordeal that left him with severe lung infections and the loss of all his belongings, KOCO reported.

Michael Kurtz, who has worked as a travel nurse for more than a decade, was trapped in the floods near Farmington, New Mexico, just over a week ago. The sudden surge of water forced him to flee his mobile home, leading to a life-threatening struggle for survival.

Kurtz’s lifelong best friend, Ashley Wittrock, described the moment the disaster began. She said Kurtz woke up on a Thursday and noticed his RV was shifting because of the floodwaters.

Oklahoma City native recovering after losing everything in New Mexico floods

In an attempt to escape, Kurtz went to his car, but the situation escalated instantly. A shipping container struck his vehicle, pushing him into the water, according to Wittrock.

Kurtz managed to grab onto a different car and pull himself out of the current, but he remained stranded there for nearly an hour. Because of the speed of the water, first responders could not reach him safely during that time.

“To be honest with you guys, he told us that he was giving himself about 10 more minutes before he was going to let go, and to me, that’s just absolutely terrifying,” Wittrock said.

New Mexico flood traps Oklahoma City native for hours before rescue

After rescue teams finally pulled him from the water, Kurtz’s medical battle began. He spent nine days in the ICU recovering from hypothermia, double pneumonia, and a lung infection.

The physical toll is only part of the crisis. The flooding completely destroyed his property, leaving him with nothing.

“He lost everything. The RV is going to be completely totaled. His car is completely totaled. Everything that he had in the RV is going to have to be thrown away,” Wittrock said.

For a man who has spent his career caring for others in the medical field, the sudden need for community support marks a difficult transition. Wittrock noted that Kurtz is now in a position where he must accept help from those around him.

“I think it’s just very important for us to share that that’s part of Michael, that’s who he is, is giving himself to others and caring for others, and it’s our turn to do that for him,” Wittrock said.

Kurtz is currently focused on his medical recovery with the goal of being discharged from the hospital by Thanksgiving. Once he is well enough, he plans to return to his home in Oklahoma to continue his recuperation.

A GoFundMe has been established to assist Kurtz with the financial burden of his medical bills and the total loss of his possessions.