A thirty year old man was an arms length away from possibly drowning on the Green River yesterday afternoon but was able to make it out of the river with help from a stranger.

Brian Freitas was floating on an inner tube down the Green River when the current took him directly into a downed tree in the river, known as a strainer. The current pushed the inner tube under the strainer and pinned Freitas in the cold current for about ten minutes.

Freitas had to continuously kick to try and stay afloat so he could breathe since he did not have a life jacket. A stranger saw Freitas struggling in the water and was able to reach him and grab his hand. Once Freitas had help he was able to touch the bottom of the river and get out without injury.

The rest of Freitas’ party quickly noticed that he was missing and feared the worst. Katie Prohaska floated to a tree so she could hold on while they looked for Freitas but quickly learned how powerful the current was when it took her inner tube. She was able to hang onto the tree and get to the shore uninjured and began to search for Freitas. She yelled for him but didn’t get a reply so she quickly found the closest person with a cellphone to call 911.

Washington State Parks, King County Sheriff’s Office, and Mountain View Fire and Rescue quickly began a search only to find Freitas safely on the shore. The warm summer days attract people to the water but it is important to take precautions.

Local rivers are cold and fast from snow melt, have dangers from downed trees, and loud to make communication difficult. It is important for anyone that goes in the river to wear an appropriate life jacket, know the water, and know their limits.