On November 4, 1985, 58-year-old Catherine Mcmillion of Seneca Rocks, West Virginia, was caught in the catastrophic Election Day flood that struck the region. The storm system, fed in part by remnants of Hurricane Juan, produced prolonged heavy rain that sent rivers to record crests and inundated communities in Pendleton and Grant counties.

During the rising waters Catherine climbed onto the roof of a house trailer and attempted to hold on to a small tree, fastening herself with her belt. The current proved too strong; she lost her grip and was swept away. Search and recovery began amid widespread destruction, but her body was never recovered and she remains missing, presumed drowned.