Hello Friends,
This past Labor Day my family went River Rafting. My dad was our guide and we borrowed some equipment from some friends. The day was great until we hit the last rapid of the day which was also their biggest rapid in the section that we went to. My wonderful husband was thrown from the boat when we hit the first rapid, I tried to reach out to him and was yelling to my brother to hang onto him but Jared said he would be fine to ride the rapid out so he let go of the boat. At the bottom of the rapid someone had left their 70 foot throw rope in the water which was tangled around a rock. Jared had floated right into that rope and it wrapped around his waist and trapped him at the bottom of this rapid. I watched him the entire time from the moment he left the raft. Jared always makes fun of me for being so paranoid about everything that could be dangerous- but this is why! So when I realized Jared was not coming out of the rapid and I was still in the raft floating away panic sunk in. We were able to pull off of the river to a rock area and I watched him get smashed and smashed by the waves. Thankfully there were wonderful people on the rocks and shore that came to his aid throwing ropes and trying to get him out ( I love those people so kind and courageous- and were sent from Heavenly Father) but those ropes weren't helping because of the rope at his waist. He tried to go over the rope and as soon as his feet left a ledge that he had found in the water( A blessing from Heavenly Father) he got sandwiched around the rope from the pressure and force of the rapid and water. He broke a bunch of blood vessels in his bicep trying to get the strength to move the rope to go over it. See below picture
He realized he needed to go under the rope but this was nearly impossible because of the weight of the water pushing on him. In the meantime another raft is coming down the rapids ready to smash Jared. This is the part where I start screaming and crying thinking that I am going to watch my spouse drown in the water and no one can help him.Miraculously the rafters were able to be warned ( from the wonderful people on the rocks)and made their raft stop half way through the rapids. (Another blessing from Heavenly Father) After 3 very long minutes of watching Jared struggle and seeing that all the attempts from the people on the rocks with the rope were not working I starting to pray out loud to Heavenly Father because at this time no one else could help Jared but him and my Savior. I prayed over and over out loud and within seconds he was free. Jared said that he felt that he was thrown back on the rock and that the rope was loose enough for him to lift it above his head. As soon as he was out you could tell his body was beat he just floated down the river on his back. My dad and brothers who were still in the raft quickly paddled out and pulled him in the raft. Here are some pictures of the injuries from the rope
Rope rashes and broken blood vessels on his stomach from where the rope was caught
here is the other side up around his back
lower arm rope rash from trying to pull it over his head a few times
Emotional wife for the rest of the day who wouldn't let Jared go anywhere without her.
The rapid Jared was stuck in is called Trouble Maker. It is their biggest rapid so their are Photographers on the rocks and one of them captured it on film. The link is below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEXdcry_2AY&feature=youtu.be
"Man Gets Trapped in White Water Rapids- Amazing Rescue!!"
If you noticed when Jared gets free there is no rock that he was pressed against. Jared and I know someone was there pulling Jared back so that he could get free. It will be cool when the day comes that we can find out who it is whether it be a family member passed or one to come. But my thanks and gratitude for having my spouse with me today is to my Heavenly Father adn Savior Without them Jared would not have made it by himself. He must have something in store for us that he needs us here a little longer.
On a lighter note- 1st weigh in at Weight Watchers this week and I lost 4.6 pounds this week! YAY! I have my Ragnar Race this weekend and will post pictures from that after. I ran 8.6 miles this morning to prep for it, I feel like the tin man at work because my body is SOOOO stiff. haha oh well no pain no gain/lose !
