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UFC's Derrick Lewis saves Confederate flag-toting Hurricane Harvey victim

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UFC standout 'The Black Beast' Derrick Lewis saves Confederate flag-toting Hurricane Harvey victim
Derrick Lewis, better known in UFC circles as “The Black Beast,” said his legs have been chewed up from ant-infested waters and his thighs burn from braving the strong currents of Houston flood waters.

In truth, he’s risking his life trying to save Houston people in need – even if one of them, he said, brought with him a controversial and divisive symbol linked to racism in America.

“I don’t care about that,” Lewis told MMAjunkie. “I live in Texas. It ain’t nothing new. I’ve been living in the South all my life, and it ain’t nothing I hadn’t seen before or discussed about. I don’t care about that type of stuff. I just wanted to help him.”

Lewis lives in Houston, a city currently in a state of crisis as Hurricane Harvey dumps seemingly endless streams of water into the streets, flooding massive portions of the city.Earlier today, both major airports were closed until further notice because of the conditions. The situation is so dire, even city officials have been forced to limit their assistance.

“I’ve always been that type of guy that I like to help people more than I like to help myself,” Lewis told MMAjunkie. “And so I just seized the opportunity. The police, they kept getting on the news and saying that they’re not going to help no one unless it’s a life-or-death situation. Basically, the firefighters said the same thing.”


So Lewis has been in the streets for the past two days, responding to distress messages on Facebook and phone calls to friends, using his massive Chevy truck to help usher folks to dry ground.

“Mostly, we’re trying to get all the families that have kids,” Lewis said.

His twitter and Instagram feeds are pretty dope. This guy has a huge, potentially career changing fight in just a few short weeks and he's been out there helping people (I believe he said he rescued about a 100 people), including a dude with a Confederate flag.

Sunday night, Lewis was able to help a family in need, saving them from the fast-rising waters. It was a noble gesture, of course, but one made perhaps even more special due to an object he said one of the flood victims carried that is inextricably linked to racism: a Confederate flag.

“I picked up one guy and his family, his wife – he just kept apologizing to me, because all he really had was his clothes, and he wanted to take his Confederate flag,” Lewis said. “He wanted to take that with him, and he just apologized and said, ‘Man, I’ll sit in the back of your truck, man. I don’t want to have my flag inside of your truck like this.’ I said, ‘Man, I’m not worried about that.’

“He’s saying, ‘You never know if you ever need someone, so …’ – I already knew where he was going with it. I just said, ‘Don’t even worry about it. It’s OK. I don’t care about that.’ His wife kept hitting him and saying, ‘You should have just left it.'”

Lewis insists he didn’t give it a second thought and will continue to offer assistance to anyone in need, especially with even more rain and strong wind expected to hit Houston in the next several days.

Going by his feed he's still going helping people.

I just don't understand the dude with the Confederate flag. The fact he was apologising just goes to show he clearly knows what that flag represents, so what the fuck?
 

Geist-

Member
I just don't understand the dude with the Confederate flag. The fact he was apologising just goes to show he clearly knows what that flag represents, so what the fuck?
"Sorry bro, I didn't think I'd ever need to be saved by a black guy when I started calling for your mass subjugation."
 
like, maybe, MAYBE i can give that guy a micron of benefit of doubt if i suppose that he's just had his home destroyed and is in a extremely fragile mental state and is clinging to the one item he was able to salvage from his house?

but still, fuckem
 
Look at that fucking obnoxious truck.

The Southerners really have some troubling complexes, don't they

Eh it's like half the country. Travel to parts of the Midwest or upstate New York and you'll see similarly awful trucks. That being said it is an above average issue here in Texas. (Also those trucks are ungodly expensive)
 

Ploid 3.0

Member
He's a better man than me, and I don't get mad at people easily. Though I really don't know how I would act in that situation. if I'm going around saving people, it would be odd to refuse help because the person treasures a crap flag, and is maybe a piece of dirt to people with different skin pigment.

I do believe in killing people with kindness so maybe I would try to ignore it and make him feel guilty. Who knows, maybe the guy will get rid of the flag after meeting a nice guy, who is just human like him.
 

cameron

Member
“I picked up one guy and his family, his wife – he just kept apologizing to me, because all he really had was his clothes, and he wanted to take his Confederate flag,” Lewis said.

It's his security blanket. His blankie.
 

Ploid 3.0

Member
Look at that fucking obnoxious truck.

The Southerners really have some troubling complexes, don't they

Hey man, those trucks are super useful here, even in Tennessee. My brother was snowed in last year in Tennessee, and a neighbor's big truck allowed him to do what he needed to do.
 
Look at that fucking obnoxious truck.

The Southerners really have some troubling complexes, don't they

Even aside from the fact that the huge truck is what's helping him help others... lifted trucks with massive wheels and all that are not limited to The South at all.

I lived in the LA for over 20 years and I'd see those things all the time out in Orange County, Simi Valley, Santa Clarita Valley... etc...
 

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
I was confused because I was looking for the flag in the picture at first lol.

You are doing great things Derrick Lewis!
 

Cpt GargameL

Neo Member
Look at that fucking obnoxious truck.

The Southerners really have some troubling complexes, don't they

Just how there are people into luxury cars, exotics, imports, low riders etc there are also people who are into big trucks. For me (imports) it's just a hobby, I like cars. He likes trucks and likes to hook it up like so. So, what's wrong with that?
 
Look at that fucking obnoxious truck.

The Southerners really have some troubling complexes, don't they

It's the South, trucks happen to provide a good deal of utility.

Like saving lives and pulling supply trucks out of rivers.

Derrick Lewis is 6'5, 275+ pounds. What complexes do you think he's got going? Better yet, don't answer that, I don't want you shitting up the thread further.


Our boy wadin' and aidin' - and he got the UFC to donate 10k. It ain't much but it's something.
 
I would have saved him too, but I would have reminded him constantly that it was a black man who saved his family and that his life and his family's was in my hands in that moment.
 
Eh it's like half the country. Travel to parts of the Midwest or upstate New York and you'll see similarly awful trucks. That being said it is an above average issue here in Texas. (Also those trucks are ungodly expensive)
This is facts. I live in Ohio and that's pretty much all I see in the suburbs.
 
Look at that fucking obnoxious truck.

The Southerners really have some troubling complexes, don't they

Trucks like those have saved hundreds of lives here in the last week, including people that I know. What have you done lately besides posting on a messageboard anonymously?

on topic-great/sad story.
 

cr0w

Old Member
I would have saved him too, but I would have reminded him constantly that it was a black man who saved his family and that his life and his family's was in my hands in that moment.

You wouldn't have to. The guy being rescued understood the implication of what he was doing. He learned a valuable lesson.

Speaking as a Houstonian in the middle of all this, a lot of people have learned a lot of things when they've been faced with being rescued by people they'd previously marginalized.
 

ReaperXL7

Member
Look at that fucking obnoxious truck.

The Southerners really have some troubling complexes, don't they

Well I'm sure lots would get done in a flood/snowstorm/landslide/Hurricane situation if all we had at our disposal were tiny hatchbacks and electric cars.

Fact is there are many situations regardless of where you live where having trucks becomes very useful. Good on you though for fighting the good fight against a guy out there saving lives.
 

Madness

Member
Damn, you are risking death and you choose to save your Confederate flag? For what? It is poetic justice this white man was saved by a black man.

Even in Canada, nothing to do with the civil war, southern heritage,go outside Vancouver and you see the flag everywhere. On trucks, at campgrounds, at music festivals, hanging off balconies. It is a politically easier way for them to show their white power and pride since the Swastika, Nazi flag, Roman salute have too much baggage.

I would have said to the white guy after he got saved,'go through your life and remember that this black man was who saved you and your family when no one else came'
 

jwk94

Member
Eh it's like half the country. Travel to parts of the Midwest or upstate New York and you'll see similarly awful trucks. That being said it is an above average issue here in Texas. (Also those trucks are ungodly expensive)
Midwest and upstate new York have bad winters, exactly when you'd need something with 4wd.
 

Staccat0

Fail out bailed
Stick to your comics.

You know nothing about the real world.
Wtf? What is with all the random rude-ass posts in this thread?

I had the same thought. Not as a knock on him, but just an observation about how people on the internet and social media are fucking jerkoffs.
 

cr0w

Old Member
Wtf? What is with all the random rude-ass posts in this thread?

I had the same thought. Not as a knock on him, but just an observation about how people on the internet and social media are fucking jerkoffs.

Tired of Slayven's drive-by bullshit, is all.

Shit gets old, especially to someone who's been wading through water for a fucking week. If that upsets you, sorry. I've been in the shit since Harvey hit. Not too concerned about your feels.

Dude's idea of struggle is when his comic shipment is delayed. I've been in and out of Dickinson for four days straight helping co-workers save what they can from their homes after losing both cars and the majority of their possessions. Got no time for it.
 

Evening Musuko

Black Korea
He's got an upcoming fight and he's still willing to save people. A goddamn hero. Hopefully the confederate flag guy starts thinking about replacing his flag with one of these.

ad21539bfc4e75d55e952e292113ba3e.jpg
 
The perspective and scale of the photo is really fucking with me here. Is that girl getting out of the truck like 3 feet tall?
 

dlauv

Member
I think many people down here know that the confederate flag is white southern heritage pride for sad, insecure white people that do harbor tribal white bias. No reason not to save a person. Hopefully humbling too, and something for them to consider as they move forward. Good on Mr. Lewis.

Edit: Oh, he's a Trump supporter. lol
 

cr0w

Old Member
The Confederate flag is for fucking morons who don't want to admit they're racist assholes. It's a disguise, they claim it's "heritage". It's 100% bullshit.

The fact that the guy KNEW that it was insulting to the person rescuing him tells you all you need to know. I hope he learns from it.
 
Look at that fucking obnoxious truck.

The Southerners really have some troubling complexes, don't they

at least dude is out there saving people in his big truck, while you keep saying dumb shit here and not returning to threads :3

props to the ufc guy, i hope he remains safe while helping others
 
In a story about a racist whose family was saved by a black guy, people are complaining about…a truck.

There's a MLK quote about this.
 

Slayven

Member
Stick to your comics.

You know nothing about the real world.

Do i know you?

Tired of Slayven's drive-by bullshit, is all.

Shit gets old, especially to someone who's been wading through water for a fucking week. If that upsets you, sorry. I've been in the shit since Harvey hit. Not too concerned about your feels.

Dude's idea of struggle is when his comic shipment is delayed. I've been in and out of Dickinson for four days straight helping co-workers save what they can from their homes after losing both cars and the majority of their possessions. Got no time for it.

Wow
 
Stick to your comics.

You know nothing about the real world.

Wow, what a comeback.

Tired of Slayven's drive-by bullshit, is all.

Shit gets old, especially to someone who's been wading through water for a fucking week. If that upsets you, sorry. I've been in the shit since Harvey hit. Not too concerned about your feels.

Dude's idea of struggle is when his comic shipment is delayed. I've been in and out of Dickinson for four days straight helping co-workers save what they can from their homes after losing both cars and the majority of their possessions. Got no time for it.

Does it make you feel like a bigger person, using a fucking national tragedy to dole out internet insults to people you'll never meet?
 
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