On Monday morning at Bennett Spring State Park, a routine fishing trip turned into a moment that would change two families forever.
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David and his wife Joyce were near the water when Joyce slipped and fell into the stream. Without hesitation, David rushed to help her. He tripped, fell into the water himself, and was quickly carried by the current. Unable to regain his footing, David lost consciousness. In his own words, he remembers thinking his time might be up.
Upstream, fellow fisherman Frank heard Joyce yelling for help. When he reached her, she pointed him toward David and told him to go to her husband first. Frank ran into the cold water, putting himself at risk as his waders began to fill. He managed to grab David by the foot, pull him in, and flip him over. David wasn’t breathing.
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With the help of nearby fishermen, Frank dragged David partially out of the water and immediately began CPR. Compression after compression. Breath after breath. Joyce stood nearby, talking to her husband, begging him to come back. After what felt like an eternity, David moved his foot. Then he took a breath. Then another. Help arrived soon after, and David survived.
This interview was the first time David and Frank had ever truly met.
What happened at Bennett Spring wasn’t just a rescue. It was a reminder of how quickly life can change, how courage shows up without warning, and how one person’s willingness to act can mean everything. Because Frank didn’t hesitate, David went home that night. And Joyce didn’t lose her husband.
Sometimes the most powerful stories are the ones that remind us to take care of each other.
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