Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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Tonya Papanikolas reporting A teenage girl drowns in the Big Cottonwood Creek after trying to cross it with friends.
Jeremy Davis: "I got a hold of her and I was screaming help, for all my friends to help."
Her friends tried to save the girl when she fell, but the river was just moving too fast to hang onto her.
Police say the two teens who jumped in after her are very fortunate to be alive themselves.
The teens came to the area for a little fun, never expecting the night to turn out like it did: With three people in the water, 60 searchers combing the river, and a friend they'd never see again.
After a long, tragic night, the tight embrace of a parent's arms offered warmth to a teen who had spent the evening in the cold waters of Big Cottonwood Creek.
Jeremy Davis: "That river is death. You can't even go in it."
A group of 11 friends had gathered earlier to go rock-climbing. To get to the rock climbing area, they had to cross the creek at a place called "The Slips", just below Storm Mountain.
Lt. Chris Bertram, Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office: "There is a rope system set up where you stand on one rope and hold the other rope as you cross."
Most of the teens had gotten to the other side when friends say 15-year-old Nikki Bernhisel got nervous halfway across.
Sarah Larsen, Friend & Witness: "Someone went to go get a harness for her, but then she decided that she would just... Do it."
As Nikki held onto the top ropes, her friends say her feet slipped underneath her.
Jessica Wallace, Friend: "We just turned around and we were all waiting and we were watching her. And then she fell in."
Jeremy Davis, Tried to Save Friend: I just dove in after her and grabbed a hold of her. And I held a stick with one hand, her with the other hand for awhile and I was yelling to my friends come help. My friend came in like knee deep, and he couldn't do anything, couldn't even get close to us."
After awhile, Jeremy couldn't hold the stick any longer. When he let go, they both tumbled downstream.
Jeremy Davis: I couldn't hold onto her, I let go of her. I saw her float away. I tried to go after her, but it was too much."
Davis says the rushing waters carried him about a mile. He eventually caught another stick and was able to get out.
Nikki wasn't so fortunate. Deputies say with Memorial Weekend coming up, people need to take tragedies like this as a warning.
Lt. Chris Bertram: This is not something they want to be playing in - or playing around. If you fall into this river, chances are, you are not gonna come out of this river.."
Another girl also jumped in to save her friend. She got thrown to the other side of the stream. Search crews had to rescue her with rope and a stretcher. She was taken to the hospital with a leg injury.
A lot of rock climbers use the bridge to get to popular rock climbing areas. In fact, people were even using the rope bridge this morning. Deputies really want to emphasize the river is at its peak runoff this week. No one. with harnesses or not, should be crossing the creek right now.
There is an account set up at Utah Central Federal Credit Union to help with the Nikki Bernhisel's funeral expenses.
