Man jumps into Niagara River, goes over Horseshoe Falls, survives

[cali]

Source: The Buffalo News

Updated: 03/11/09 05:25 PM

By Aaron Besecker

NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. — A man who jumped into the upper rapids on the Canadian side of the Niagara River and then was swept over the Horseshoe Falls was rescued this afternoon after spending more than 40 minutes in frigid waters below the falls.

The man, who suffered a head injury and signs of hypothermia, refused to help emergency responders with his rescue. He was saved when a firefighter using safety equipment swam out about 50 yards into the Niagara River, said officials from the Niagara Falls, Ont., police and fire departments.

The man, said to be in his late 30s, refused to grab onto a pole extended to him from two rescuers aboard a helicopter. The helicopter pilot then positioned the aircraft in a way that used the winds to push the man closer to the shoreline.

The man was taken by Niagara EMS to Greater Niagara General Hospital, officials said.



Read more: http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/604520.html

[Renew Deal]

1. No barrel?

That's not really survivable, even with a barrel.

[ShortnFiery]

2. IMO, the mere fact that he survived means that "a higher power" wanted him to live.

:shrug:

[Name removed]

8. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Frisbee]

13. Just tells me ...

He was incredibly lucky (or probably unlucky from his perspective).

[Mari333]

14. dont let the fundamentalist evangelical atheists get to you

they can be just as weird as what they are arguing against.

[acmavm]

18. Oh damn, that was funny. Good one!

[Ian David]

22. The Flying Spaghetti Monster will boil you forever in his saucepan for that, you non-Atheist. n/t

[Mari333]

25. ....

:P eeek

[valerief]

20. Yes, he was clearly sprinkled with fairy dust! nt

[msanthrope]

21. Shouldn't your omnipotent "higher power" have intervened

long ere the jump/swim? Or was the drama too much to pass up????

Perhaps the Lady of the Lake helped. Or some other watery tart or moistened bint--just as likely as your "higher power."

[Ian David]

23. A miracle would have been if he'd walked to shore across the top of the water.

Why bother to pay those emergency rescue people?

They should just let go and let god.

Just sit on the shore and wait for the miracles.

[cobalt1999]

26. So, the fact that many have died going over the Falls proves that a "higher power" wanted them dead?

Assuming you are being consistent in your thought processes. :shrug:

[960]

28. why didn't the higher power intervene before the horrible

suicide attempt, brain damage and risk to rescuers?

Odd.

[timtom]

30. This isn't a reply to you, specifically, but

to the several posts upthread from you.

How the f**k does this become another religioon-bashing thread????

I mean, really.

Think of hypothermia, the almost singular nature of this event, the efforts of the rescuers, the possible causes of his decision, the awesome beauty of Horseshoe Falls....

But religion-bashing???

Jesus!

Get a life!

[cobalt1999]

31. Because someone dragged religion into the topic in the first place?

I don't see you chastising the original poster with a post like...

"Think of hypothermia, the almost singular nature of this event, the efforts of the rescuers, the possible causes of his decision, the awesome beauty of Horseshoe Falls....

But religion???"


Why didn't you do that? Do you see nothing wrong with injecting religion into this topic in the first place, or are you a hypocrite?

[timtom]

33. What are you talking about?

I do not see where the OP mentioned religion at all.

I was upbraiding the several religion-bashing posts in this thread, which seemed so oddly out of place.

I'm not sure where hypocrisy on my part is evident...

[cobalt1999]

34. The religion basing is in direct response to post #2 not the OP

Why didn't you upbraid THAT poster? There's the hypocrisy. Post #2 dragged the topic into this thread. The rest are just responses to it.

[timtom]

37. Quote:

"This isn't a reply to you, specifically, but
to the several posts upthread from you."
It was intended to be all-inclusive.

[cobalt1999]

38. Quote

"How the f**k does this become another religion-bashing thread????"

I answered your question.

Also, you singled out only the Religion-bashing posts, if your intent was to chastise the introduction of religion into this thread not only were you not clear, you didn't even go after the source.

[cobalt1999]

39. Another quote:

"I was upbraiding the several religion-bashing posts in this thread"

By your own words, you weren't upbraiding the person who brought religion into this topic, just the "religion-bashing" responses.

[timtom]

41. Now that you've brought me up short

I guess you "win" the "debate". (Although, I took post #2 to be snarky. I may be wrong.) So, in my mind, I was fair-minded. In your mind, I was not fair-minded. Perhaps it is all a perceptual breakdown.

[Roland99]

35. All part of "The Plan", apparently.

[phantom power]

3. Victims with head injuries and hypothermia aren't real helpful.

In fact, it's prudent to consider them a hazard to themselves and anyone trying to rescue them.

One of the many useful things you learn in river rescue.

[ejpoeta]

4. I'm getting tired of these idiots jumping over the falls!!

I mean, it doesn't sound like that idiot a few years ago who seemed to be doing it for attention or something. Maybe this guy really had a problem if he wouldn't help them save him. I hope he gets the help he needs.

[Larkspur]

5. I rather have them jumping over the falls than shooting innocent people

Anyone notice the outbreak of beserker gunman lately? Scary.

[Journeyman]

11. Yeah, there's been all kinds of 'em since I first turned on the news -- 43 years ago. . .

to hear that some whack job had climbed to the top of the UT Tower in Austin and slaughtered 14 people. Things just haven't been the same since. The public square hasn't felt as safe since that bleak Summer day. And worse, there's seemed to be a succession of equally horrific scenes played out in the years since.

[ejpoeta]

32. that's true. i don't understand the idea of taking people with you.

and I think this guy was really trying to kill himself, so... As if that is better than that guy a few years ago doing a stunt. I just hope the guy is ok. and gets the help he needs.

[corruptmewithpower]

6. Golly, what does it take to kill yourself if that didn't work?

:wow:

[cobalt1999]

24. Think of how much of a failure he now feels like.

He can't even kill himself successfully by going over the falls.

He must feel like a total loser now. :)

[MattBaggins]

27. Get married have two daughters

Alone in a house with three girls will put you in the ground real fast.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[OneBlueSky]

7. good thing he hit the Horseshoe Falls and not the American Falls . . .

there's a deep, deep hole at the bottom of the Horseshoe Falls, but there's nothing but rocks below the American Falls . . . anyone going over the latter would have zero chance of surviving . . .

I was living just outside Niagara Falls in 1960 and vividly remember when 7-year-old Roger Woodward went over the falls in a life vest and survived . . . he was headline news for a week, and became something of a local celebrity . . . I have no idea if he's still in the area, or even still alive . . .

[Pastiche423]

12. He was still alive in 1994...

http://www.infoniagara.com/other/history/roger.html

[footinmouth]

15. I'm pretty sure Roger is still alive and well

He & his sister (who was also in the boat) visited the area in 1994. I live in the area and vividly remember the whole thing.

http://www.infoniagara.com/other/history/roger.html

[Cha]

9. So it can

be done! What a way to go..or not.

[1monster]

10. "Refused" to grab on to the pole? After 40 minutes in "frigid" waters, maybe he couldn't grab on to

the pole, or anything else (due to cold induced numbness of the digits and limbs).

Or maybe he just wanted to die. Life can be rough sometimes.

[benEzra]

19. He was probably also way past the period of useful, rational consciousness

the "1-10-1" rule for cold-water survival says if you survive the gasping reflexes for the first minute you are immersed in frigid water, then you have about 10 minutes of useful consciousness (can both think clearly and retain your dexterity), and then after that you will survive at least another hour but will have trouble thinking or moving.

If this guy was in frigid, rapidly circulating water for 40 minutes, he was probably delirious and couldn't move his fingers. Not saying definitely, but quite possibly.

[sandyj999]

16. Maybe he wouldn't get on the chopper because he was afraid to fly???? n/t

[earcandle]

17. oh my.

[TheMightyFavog]

36. If this were Fark...

I'd be posting the lyrics to a certain Frank Zappa song that would be very appropo to this situation.

However, I will not post them here, as this is not the appropriate place for such tasteless humor.

[baldguy]

40. There's a 150-ft deep plunge pool under the Horseshoe Falls.

There's a 150-ft tall pile of rocks at the bottom of the American Falls.