When a two-seater convertible careened off Ballam Road and plunged into the Fraser River, a Chilliwack doctor was in the right place at the right time.
Dr. Ralph Jones was returning to Island 22 on Friday, Oct. 3 after sturgeon fishing with two friends – a retired surgeon and retired dentist – visiting from the UK. They were aboard the boat of Bryce Welti, owner of River Therapy Fishing Co., when they heard a loud splash, thinking it was a big sturgeon breaching.
The four quickly realized it was a car that hit the water, so Welti drove the boat closer.
The 2001 green Audi sedan hit a hydro pole before entering the river, according to Chilliwack RCMP.
"It was completely submerged," Jones said. "Then we saw a man in the water who dragged the first victim out of the car."
Jones didn’t know that Good Samaritan’s name at the time, but he was later identified as Adam Christianson, a 54-year-old Chilliwack man who’s a very strong swimmer.
Christianson had been driving behind the Audi, with friend Chelsie McMunn, when it went off the 15-foot-high embankment covered in blackberry bushes and rocks.
His first thought was “How am I going to get to these people?”
Christianson drove further down the road to a nearby sandbar, got out of his vehicle and ran back up to the convertible, which landed on its wheels but was completely underwater.
McMunn was up on the road and on the phone with 911 dispatch as she helped guide Christianson to the car. There was oil, gas, and transmission fluid floating on the water as bubbles rose to the surface.
The river was cold and he was a little scared, but Christianson could see the top of their heads.
“I dove in and followed his seat-belt down and unclicked him,” he said.
Christianson held the man in his arms for about a minute and tried to perform CPR while holding him in the water.
He could see the boat was coming closer. There was no time to take the victim to shore. Christianson knew there was still another person trapped underwater – a woman.
Christianson dragged the man to the boat where all four onboard helped pull the victim in.
He had a pulse, but was not breathing.
Jones, a previously trained anesthetist, opened and secured the man's airway and gave him successful mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
"You never lose the skill of opening the airway. It's second nature to me,” Jones said.
Jones figured the man was breathing on his own within about 30 seconds. The man sat up and was dazed.
"In the meantime, this hero dived again under the water and brought the woman out. He brought her to the boat. She had no pulse and was not breathing," Jones said. "I gave CPR for about 10 minutes until the paramedics arrived. They told me they briefly got a pulse, but then expired."
On Saturday, Oct. 4, Chilliwack RCMP confirmed the 71-year-old woman died on scene. The man, who walked off the boat with some assistance, was taken to hospital.
"If I had not taken the day off to go fishing, if we had not arrived there at that time, that man would have died. I don’t think anyone could’ve saved the woman. Life‘s full of strange coincidences,” Jones said.
Christianson, who also has first-aid training, called it a coincidence as well.
“It was perfect timing for everybody. There were no other boats in sight. I’d like to thank (Ralph) for mentioning me. It was a group effort that we saved him,” Christianson said.
Jones said Christianson didn't think twice or look for anyone else – he took it on himself to go into the water. And after everything happened, Christianson seemed to vanish.
"We didn't see him again,” Jones said.
Even though Jones helped save the man's life, he praised Christianson who risked his own life and went under the chilly, murky water that day.
"I wouldn't say I was a hero, all I did was what I was trained for," Jones said. "The man who went into the water and dove under the water was the real hero. I think what he did was brave and selfless."
Christianson’s family members also have high praise for him.
“My mom and sister are very proud of me, and that makes me proud,” he said.
“I’m glad I was there at that time. I did the best I could,” Christianson added. “My thoughts and prayers are with the family. I hope they can make peace.”
NOTE: This story was originally published on Thursday, Oct. 9. At the time, The Chilliwack Progress and Dr. Ralph Jones did not know Adam Christianson’s name. He was later identified by two family members who read the story.
Police seek witnesses
Chilliwack RCMP are continuing to investigate this crash and are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident or saw the vehicle’s driving behaviour prior to the collision to contact the detachment at 604-792-4611.
