By Simone Jasper
The Charlotte Observer
MADISON, N.C. — A family trip to a river took a harrowing turn when a first responder heard screams, North Carolina officials said.
Ryan Clark, who works as a rescue technician, was near Madison River Park when the calls for help made him jump into action, the Madison-Rockingham Rescue Squad said in a July 7 Facebook post. He thought the person in need of rescue was one of his family members before discovering it was a tuber, Clark told WGHP.
“Clark found a victim floating in the water unresponsive,” rescuers said. “Clark was able to swim to the patient and pull the patient from the water.”
Clark then started CPR and “was able to revive the patient before other units arrived on scene,” officials said. The person later was taken to a hospital.
“It was definitely a sense of relief to see the patient come around,” Clark told WGHP. “Normally when we get a river rescue like this, the outcomes are usually a lot different.”
Clark, who had been spending time with his relatives before the rescue, was hailed a hero in social media comments. The rescue squad didn’t immediately share additional information about his actions with McClatchy News on July 8.
Madison River Park lies on the Dan River in the town of Madison, a roughly 25-mile drive northwest from Greensboro.
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