SOUTH ST. PAUL - Ben Footh usually takes his jet skis to a lake, or even the St. Croix River. But the Mississippi River? Hardly ever.
Except Wednesday.
That warm spring afternoon was — thank goodness — the day Footh and his nephew, Nick, decided to try out some brand-new skis on the Mississippi. As Nick prepared to launch, his uncle parked the truck in the nearby parking lot, located out of sight under a grassy hill.
Ben suddenly heard a scream. It was coming from his nephew, who apparently had spotted something.
"There's someone in the water," Nick relayed to his uncle.
A man was in the water, having jumped at least 50 feet from the bridge in an attempt to take his own life.
A rush of adrenaline overcame both Nick and Ben. They knew what to do. Nick jumped on his jet ski; Ben hopped on the other. Speeding through the water as fast as possible, Nick reached the man first, grabbed him and placed him on the back of the ski. Ben had already called 911, and though he didn't know it, multiple drivers on the bridge had called the police simultaneously.
"We were frantic to get here," South St. Paul Police Officer Derek Kruse said.
He was the first on the scene. When he pulled up, he prepared to canvass underwater in the Mississippi River. Instead, he looked toward the boat launch and saw Nick and Ben walking with the man.
They'd pulled him out safely and brought him to shore on the jet ski.
"My first thought was," Kruse said, "I was astonished."
The man had no serious injuries. He was awake and speaking.
"It was definitely an emotional moment," Ben said. "I gave him a big hug and said: God gave you a second chance."
And it gave Ben a moment to reflect: "How important mental health is. I think it's an important reminder for everyone who is watching, that everyone is dealing with something. And be kind."
Ben will forever be thankful that he decided to try the Mississippi River for a change.
"In my mind, if it weren't for the actions of Nick and Ben," Officer Kruse said, ""(that man) wouldn't be here today."
Call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Click this link for more resources.