IDAHO FALLS, Idaho, Nov. 16, 2022 (East Idaho News/Gephardt Daily) — A Utah County man passing through Idaho Falls to visit family ended up jumping into the Snake River to save a woman who drove her car off a boat dock.
Dan Entze, from Elk Ridge, was driving with wife Kristen to pick up their kids after a 11th wedding anniversary celebration when they saw the vehicle enter the water. It was about 10 a.m. Saturday, according to an article by East Idaho News.
Entze, 36, would end up swimming about 120 feet from the shore in frigid water to rescue the woman, who was making a suicide attempt, according to a statement from the Idaho Falls Fire Department.
In a conversation with EastIdahoNews.com, Entze says he’s grateful he happened to be in the right place at the right time.
“My wife and I both got emotional (when it was over),” Entze said. “Just like everyone, we have struggles in life. To think about people being at their wit’s end, for whatever reason, gave us a lot of pause and we just wanted to go straight to our kids and hold them.”
The encounter began as they got off Interstate 15 and noticed there was a car in the river.
“We were looking around and immediately called 911. We got off the exit on the other side of the bridge and circled back around,” Entze said. “I told my wife, ‘I’ve got to get out’ because there was no one there.”
He climbed over the barbed wire fence and ran across the canal and saw a woman swimming in the water. When the car started sinking, Entze says it somehow flushed her out and as he yelled out to her, she was clearly distraught.
“She said she wanted to die … and couldn’t understand why she wasn’t still in the car,” he told East Idaho News.
The woman began working her way towards the shore as she told Entze about her struggles, he said. When she was just a short distance away, she started heading back out into the river again.
Entze and his wife were familiar with this section of the river and, knowing how dangerous it was, he jumped in for the rescue.
“I tried to calculate and keep my head about me,” Entze said. “I got out to her and pulled her to the shore. At that point, another gentleman arrived and helped me pull her up.”
Entze and his wife grabbed blankets from their car, took off the woman’s coat and sweater and wrapped her up. He held her until EMTs arrived a minute or two later.
After stepping away, the couple left to pick up their kids.
Entze says the entire ordeal only lasted 10 minutes or less, and he didn’t do it for recognition. He simply knew the woman was in trouble and acted because time was running out.
“She was slowing down and running out of steam. Even if she wanted to get on shore, she wasn’t going to be able to do it on her own. In water like that, you can’t wait for EMTs to arrive.”
EMS personnel took the patient to the hospital and were able to connect her with the resources to help.
“We express our gratitude to the individual who risked their own life to save another,” IFFD spokeswoman Kerry Hammon wrote in the news release. “We are incredibly thankful both parties involved were able to make it out of the freezing water safely.”
Back in Utah now, Entze said his thoughts are focused on the woman and others who struggle with mental health challenges.
Dane had a friend dealing with similar issues a few years ago and he’s glad he was able to rescue a woman in one of her darkest moments.
“When I talked to her (that day), I said, ‘I don’t know who you are but I’m here and I love you.’ The message I tried to get (across) to her is that ‘You’re not alone.’ There’s a lot of people out there who want to help … and I was just grateful to be there at that time to help her.”
To see the East Idaho News interview, click on the link below.
If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one who is, or simply need emotional support, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – 24/7. Someone is there to listen and help.
