Woman Seeks Hero Who Pulled Her From River Avon

Elizabeth Arnold thought she was going to die when she slipped into the River Avon on May 6, struggling in the water fully clothed and unable to swim. Then a stranger appeared and pulled her to safety.

The 74-year-old from Ringwood was walking two small dogs along the Castlemont Trail when one jumped into the river and the other followed. She reached for their harnesses to pull them out, but the riverbank fooled her.

"The edge looked like land because of all the debris," Elizabeth explained. She stepped forward and suddenly found herself in the water, clothes dragging her down.

"I thought, is this the day I die?" she recalled. "I became very calm."

Then hands grabbed her and lifted her up. Through the shock, she asked her rescuer if she was dreaming. He told her gently that she wasn't, and helped her stand on solid ground.

All Elizabeth knows about her hero is that his name is Jack, he's between 30 and 40 years old, recently moved to Ringwood, and works in shipping. He's also getting married this year.

Sunny's Take

What happened next shows the true measure of Jack's character. He didn't just pull Elizabeth from the water and disappear. He walked across two fields to her friend's house to make sure both women got home safely.

Elizabeth's friend took his phone number but never saved it. Now Elizabeth, who isn't online, has no way to reach him.

"I don't want to sound dramatic, but he saved our lives," she said. "How he managed to see me and save me, it was like we were the only two people in the world at that time."

The incident has left Elizabeth shaken. She thinks about it constantly and wants other people to understand how dangerous riverbanks can be, especially when debris makes water look like solid ground.

But mostly, she wants to find Jack and thank him properly. She wants to give him the hug he deserves for being in exactly the right place at exactly the right time.

Both dogs made it out safely too, though 14-year-old Pickles and three-year-old Mary probably don't realize how close they all came to tragedy that day.

If you know Jack, a man in his 30s or 40s who recently moved to Ringwood and works in shipping, Elizabeth would love to hear from you.