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OGDEN -- A Roy woman is safe after falling and getting carried away by the Ogden River Thursday, thanks to a police officer who pulled her out and saved her life.
Ruthann Hall says she thought she was going to die when she got too close to the river to look at something and, when the dirt and gravel gave way, she fell into the rushing water.
Hall says she knew right away she wasn't going to be able to pull herself out.
She was able to hold onto a tree -- but as strong as the water is, she couldn't hold on for long and soon went downstream.
"The river was so strong that I could not hang on to that tree trunk," Hall said. "So then I went down more, and then a rock stopped me and I was screaming for my life."
She went under the water several times, then under a bridge. Her husband, who has cerebral palsy, could only watch from their car, knowing he could do nothing to help.
"I tried my best to stay to the edge, because I thought if I stayed to the edge somebody could help me," Hall said.
And somebody did. Two teenagers heard her screaming and came to the rescue -- but they could only hold on to her arm; they couldn't pull her out.
Then, out of nowhere, Ogden police officer Jim Gent arrived.
"I just happened to be driving by," Gent said. "[I] got out and stepped out on the rock in the water, and I just pulled her up out."
"Oh my gosh, I'm so thankful. He saved my life, and I thank him," Hall said. "And if those boys who helped me are out there listening or reading this, I want to thank them, too."
Gent says he's just happy he was in the right place at the right time.
"You can't not feel good after helping someone who's in distress like that," he said. "It's always good when something positive happens. Everything just came together."
"People think the police are bad, but they're not. They're lifesavers," Hall said.
Sgt. Jamie Garcia with the Ogden Police Department of course agrees, in particular about her praises of Gent.
"Officer Gent is just the type of officer who goes above and beyond," Garcia said. "We put our lives on the line every day, and sometimes it's in different ways."
As for getting anywhere near a rushing river in the future, Hall says no way.
"I was terrified," she said. "My advice to everybody is to stay away from the river."
Hall says she's just happy to be home with her husband now. She has some bumps and bruises and says she's in a bit of pain, but she's alive.
Email: acabrero@ksl.com
