Ten years after a near-fatal kayaking accident, Nichole Gaertner is reunited with a rescue worker to highlight river safety and the dangers of hidden debris.
MONROE, Wash. — Ten years after Nichole Gaertner nearly drowned in the Skykomish River, she came face to face with a firefighter who saved her life.
“It’s great to meet the man who made me stand here today,” Geithner said.
On May 10, 2016, Geithner and a group of friends set out on a warm kayaking trip.
“It was a group of friends, we were excited, we took the day off and it was 86 degrees,” Geithner said. “We have a big ambition to kayak down to Everett.”
But what seemed like a great time on the water quickly turned into a life-threatening situation.
Geithner said the group was unprepared to deal with hidden filters — dangerous river debris, including downed trees and root balls, through which water can flow but where people can become trapped.
“We weren’t really prepared for hidden filters and dam collapse,” she said.
Geithner said her kayak capsized while she was trying to help her friend. She was pulled underwater and stuck in a tree on the river bank.
“When I finally came up, I was able to grab onto one of the tree roots and push myself up, my life jacket was up and I was being waterboarded,” she said.
At the time, she didn’t know if her friend was still alive. She said she grabbed a branch to keep herself from being swept away.
“My arms were like on a branch above me because I knew if I was going to pass out, I would float away and I didn’t want my body to get lost,” Geithner said.
It took staff about 45 minutes to find her. Another firefighter, Jeff Zhorn, helped pull her out of the water and she was rescued.
“Jeff pulled me up and said I need you to hold on, this can be really hard,” Geithner said. “When they finally pulled me out, I was unresponsive.”
Agencies including Snohomish Regional Fire Rescue, Sultan Snohomish Fire District 5 and Sky Valley Fire Department participated in the rescue effort.
Pete Parrish, a firefighter paramedic with Snohomish Area Fire Rescue, said Geithner’s story remains fresh in his mind.
“Nicole has been in my heart for the past ten years,” Parrish said. “Knowing that she survived that day and that she went on to live a wonderful life over the past ten years has been a really positive thing in my life and career.”
Parrish said first responders see tragedy all the time, but rescues like Geithner’s are ones they call out in a different way.
“As first responders, our careers are filled with tragedy and death,” Parrish said. “Your life story and life in general and our involvement in saving it really helped me in a positive way.”
For Parrish, the reunion also brought a message: Western Washington’s rivers and lakes are especially dangerous this time of year.
“Just because the sun is out and the weather is nice, doesn’t mean the water is safe because of the temperatures and hazards,” Parrish said.
He said runoff changes the river every spring. Flooding can also move debris, reshape riverbanks and create new hazards.
“Rivers change every year during spring runoff, not to mention river flooding, and this year we had a major flood and the river was just not the same as it was before,” Parrish said. “That’s the No. 1 danger of being out in waterways that haven’t been scouted or don’t have information.”
This warning is even more important this year Extreme flooding hits Washington in December. Many people in western Washington are under flood watches during December’s atmospheric river event. The state is under a state of emergency as heavy rains cause rivers to burst their banks, triggering mudslides and stranding people in floodwaters.
Parrish said the cold water itself is just as dangerous as the debris.
“Cold water is just as dangerous as debris in rivers and lakes,” Parrish said. “In cold water, you think you’re fine, but you’re going to cramp up, you’re going to hyperventilate, and if you’re swimming without a PFD, you’re going to eventually sink.”
Geithner said she hopes sharing what happened to her will prevent others from making the same mistake.
“I don’t want anyone to go through what I went through,” she said.
She said she now understands that rivers can quickly become dangerous, even on warm days.
“I think it’s naivety, naivety, not knowing what the rivers carry,” Geithner said. “We’ve had some pretty significant flooding this year.”
Parrish said anyone planning to travel to a river or lake should first check conditions, put on an appropriate life jacket and seek advice from local fire personnel or someone with knowledge of the waterway.
Geithner’s rescue took place a decade ago. But she said the warning is just as urgent now.
“The river is so unforgiving,” she said.
