Rock star's parents rescued in floods

RESCUED: THE parents of US rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers’ guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, Steven and Kathleen, who were rescued from a flooded causeway.
Source: The Cairns Post

THE parents of US rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers’ guitarist Josh Klinghoffer learnt a dangerous lesson about northern Australia when they were rescued from a flooded causeway while holidaying in the Port Douglas region.

After saying goodbye to their famous son in Sydney, where he is on tour for the Big Day Out, Steven and Kathleen Klinghoffer flew to Cairns and hired a car for a scenic drive to Silky Oaks.

When the couple came across a flooded causeway on Tuesday, they attempted to cross it.

“Having gone through puddles before, I figured, ‘if I just go slow I can get across’.

“The part I didn’t know, which I learnt after, was that the road went deeper and deeper, a bit of a gully – what I considered a road, turned into a river,” Mr Klinghoffer said.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers, clockwise from top, bassist Flea, singer Anthony Kiedis, guitarist Josh Klinghoffer and drummer Chad Smith.

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“Once we hit that spot the car stalled, and we were trapped.”

A local family came to the aid of the tourists, before the RACQ and an employee of Silky Oaks Lodge eventually came to help tow the car.

The Klinghoffers had managed to get out of the car while the water was still at their waists and carefully climb to safety.

“The car got totally submerged, we were right in the middle,” Mr Klinghoffer said.

“We are very, very thankful to everybody and we learnt a lesson about the outback of Australia.”

 

 

Rock star's parents rescued in floods