Apr 26, 2009 10:42 pm US/Central
Man Dies After Rushing Water Sweeps Him Into River
ST. PAUL (WCCO) ―
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Ian William Talty, 30, of Woodbury, died after rainwater rushed into a tunnel he was exploring and swept him into the Mississippi River on April 26.
Family Photo
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Ian William Talty, 30, of Woodbury, died after rainwater rushed into a tunnel he was exploring and swept him into the Mississippi River on April 26.
Family Photo
One man is dead after being swept into the Mississippi River by rain water while exploring and taking pictures inside a tunnel in St. Paul.
According to St. Paul Fire Marshal Steve Zaccard, two men were taking pictures inside a tunnel underneath the Marshall Avenue bridge in St. Paul. When a thunderstorm started, the tunnel was filled with water and flushed the two men down an embankment into the Mississippi River.
Thirty-year-old Ian Talty of Woodbury died in the incident. His friend, 29-year-old Nick Breid, was treated for an arm injury but survived.
"I knew where he was going, but I didn't think it would be this. I never wanted it to be this," said Talty's wife Nicole.
She said every Sunday morning her husband would grab his camera and his backpack and go for a hike. And before he left, he would always leave her a note.
"Even this morning he left me a note that said 'I love you' and where he would be going. I was very nervous about his hikes. I knew that they would be dangerous. I knew some places he would go wouldn't be the best," said Nicole.
The last time she heard from her husband was just before 10:00 Sunday morning. He sent her a text message that said "I love you, I'm going in." Authorities believe that shortly after that the tunnel Talty and Breid were exploring filled with rainwater from local neighborhoods and literally pushed the men into the river.
Witnesses recall hearing cries for help. Members of the University of St. Thomas crew club along with a member of the Minneapolis Rowing club got in boats to try and help the men.
Two members of the crew club and a St. Paul Police Officer pulled Talty's body from the river. Once on shore, they took turns giving him CPR. Despite their efforts, Talty later died at Hennepin County Medical Center.
"They moved quickly, they got the boats in the water and shot over there. I think the big thing was they just wish they could have gotten there earlier and helped to revive him," said University of St. Thomas spokesman Doug Hennes.
Nicole said her husband was a great stepfather to her 10-year-old son Cody. He was an avid reader who loved photography and was one day hoping to take pictures for a living. He had recently learned some of his photography would be displayed in a gallery next year.
"That was him at his best. When he would come back with photos and he was so proud, and he deserved to be. He deserved to be proud because he was amazing at it," said Nicole.
Nicole said her husband and Nick Breid would often go exploring together and had been friends since 10th grade when they met at Richfield High School. On Sunday afternoon, St. Paul Fire Marshal Steve Zaccard warned people about venturing into the cities tunnels and caves.
"Stay out of the caves and tunnels. We have had several die from carbon monoxide poisoning and now we have at least one die from drowning. They can fill with water quickly like what happened this morning," said Zaccard.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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