Last nite I was watching the news when I first heard about what happened at Split Rock falls in the Airdirondocks.I just lowered my head and had a tear come down on my cheek.I looked up at my wife and said it could happen to any parent.
At Camp Baco in Minerva,NY 4 teen camp councilors on their day off went to Split Rock Falls.With all the recent rain, the river and falls was swollen with heavy currents.
A fellow councilor slipped on a rock and fell in the whitewater river. Three friends,all from the same high school and all on the swiming team dived into the rapids to save the 1st kid.The roaring river and water currents were no match to these experinced swimmers.All four drowned.
The three that jumped in were the model citizens that we as parents strive for.Today the community of Hewlett,Long Island is devastated.Three top kids at the beggining of their lives are wiped out by an act of bravery.
The three kids Jonah Richman,Adam Cohen and Jordan Satin all were stars in HS together in football and swimming.They attended U of Wisconson,Northwestern,and U of Colorado.
They are the same age as my daughter.As a teacher and coach I have been to many funerals of kids that died before they should.Players of mine have been killed,died of aids,car accidents,etc.
But this story of these 3 kids hits me so hard.In this day and age with all the BS that is going on it's somewhat uplifting.
As a coach and teacher I learned when our youth die so young you have the 1st phase of shock and denial."how the hell could that happen". The 2nd phase is the anger,disappointment and the sadness.And finally the last phase is the healing and understanding.
But could anything be learned from it.Many times it can't.Last thur an 18 yr old student from my school died from a drug overdose.We all knew he had the problem.I was told to activate our HS crisis team since his 2 brothers were attending summer school.
All the kids that were crying and making this kid a hero. And to think of what happened yest in the Adirondacks.
Anyway,I'm not sure if this story about these kids made the national news.It should though.Because they were taught certain values growing up and died doing what they believed in.Helping out another friend.
In Sept when my HS starts I promise to tell all 1,300 kids at my school the story of three high school teenagers and what happened on Aug 13th in the Adirondacks.
I pasted the article from the NY Post or NY Dailey News.
TEENS DIE IN WHIRLING WHITEWATER AS RESCUE GOES AWRY
By KEN LOVETT, and IKIMULISA LIVINGSTON and ADAM MILLER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOSS: Adam Cohen (front left), Jonah Richman (front right) and Jordan Satin (back center) tried to save a fellow counselor.
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August 14, 2003 -- Four teen camp counselors drowned in a popular Adirondacks swimming hole after one tumbled into the rain-swollen river and the three others - lifelong friends from Long Island - dived into the whirling waters in a desperate attempt to rescue their pal.
The victims - Jonah Richman, 18, Adam Cohen, 19, and Jordan Satin, 19, all of Hewlett, and David Altschuler, 18, of Philadelphia - were pulled under by the roaring Boquet River at Split Rock Falls, a series of picturesque pools and waterfalls in Elizabethtown, some 100 miles north of Albany.
"It had to be something like saving a friend to get them to jump in the water," Cohen's tearful dad, David, told The Post last night after he and wife, Jodie, identified their son's body at Elizabethtown Community Hospital.
"These kids are model citizens. The whole country should hear about these kids," he said, tears streaming down his face.
The devastated mom, Jodie Cohen, added, "He went to save his friend's life. You're not supposed to die like that."
The tragic teens were among about 20 counselors from nearby Camp Baco who went to the falls Tuesday to relax, swim and soak up some rays.
Richman, Cohen and Satin, all college students, had been lifeguards and members of their high-school swim team.
In fact, Richman and Cohen - who were co-captains - earned all-county honors and also starred on the football team.
But not even the strongest of swimmers could have survived the raging whitewaters that day, said State Police Capt. Bruce Dunning.
"This time of year, with this much rain, it's a dangerous place to be," said Dunning. "It's completely whitewater."
Forest Ranger Ed Russell said the "force of the water cannot be underestimated."
The tragedy unfolded about 3 p.m. Tuesday when Altschuler tumbled off a ledge into the roaring river, dangerously swollen by recent rains, and was pulled under by the churning currents, police said.
The other three dived into the rough waters in a desperate attempt to save Altschuler, who disappeared under the roiling surface of the lake.
But the powerful currents proved too treacherous for the teens, who were swallowed up by the fierce waters, as fellow counselors watched helplessly from ledges jutting out over the gorge.
"There was one that slipped in and three heroic efforts at saving his life," said Dunning.
Cohen's distraught dad, David, wiping away tears, said the Hewlett victims were "inseparable."
"They were very close," he said. "Incredible kids. They were joined at the hip. They did for others, never for themselves," he added.
In their high-school yearbooks, under hobbies and interests, the Hewlett victims each mentioned Camp Baco and each other.
In an eerie twist, Cohen also listed Split Rock as one of his interests.
Camp Baco owner Bob Wortman said, "This is a very sad day for everyone.
"At this time, our primary concern is providing comfort and support for the families of these young people.
"These counselors were part of our family, and we are all devastated by this loss."
Richman's distraught uncle, Nassau County legislator Jeffrey Toback, said his nephew was a wonderful kid who loved helping others.
"He made his parents proud every day," Toback said.
"This is so hard. It's devastating. We're in shock. This is tragic for all the families."
Cohen attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Richman was a journalism major at Northwestern, and Satin attended the University of Colorado.
Police divers recovered Richman's body Tuesday night, and the three other bodies, wedged under a ledge in a 20-foot deep pool, were recovered yesterday afternoon.
Officials said there are so many accidents at Split Rock Falls that rescuers have rappel anchors permanently bolted into the rock.
But Essex County Sheriff Henry Hommes said this was the worst drowning he's ever seen in his three decades on the job.
More than a dozen counselors were taken to the hospital for counseling.
Before they left Split Rock Falls, many wept as they sat on a stone wall overlooking the raging river below.
Camp Baco, founded in 1951 by Mel and Ruth Wortman, is a family-owned sleepaway camp located on Lake Balfour in Minerva, about 35 miles southwest of the falls.
Its sister camp for girls, Camp Che-Na-Wah, is located a half-mile north of Baco along the lake.
Over the years, campers at the locations have included famed film director Francis Ford Coppola and singer-actress Lainie Kazan.
With Post Wire Services
At Camp Baco in Minerva,NY 4 teen camp councilors on their day off went to Split Rock Falls.With all the recent rain, the river and falls was swollen with heavy currents.
A fellow councilor slipped on a rock and fell in the whitewater river. Three friends,all from the same high school and all on the swiming team dived into the rapids to save the 1st kid.The roaring river and water currents were no match to these experinced swimmers.All four drowned.
The three that jumped in were the model citizens that we as parents strive for.Today the community of Hewlett,Long Island is devastated.Three top kids at the beggining of their lives are wiped out by an act of bravery.
The three kids Jonah Richman,Adam Cohen and Jordan Satin all were stars in HS together in football and swimming.They attended U of Wisconson,Northwestern,and U of Colorado.
They are the same age as my daughter.As a teacher and coach I have been to many funerals of kids that died before they should.Players of mine have been killed,died of aids,car accidents,etc.
But this story of these 3 kids hits me so hard.In this day and age with all the BS that is going on it's somewhat uplifting.
As a coach and teacher I learned when our youth die so young you have the 1st phase of shock and denial."how the hell could that happen". The 2nd phase is the anger,disappointment and the sadness.And finally the last phase is the healing and understanding.
But could anything be learned from it.Many times it can't.Last thur an 18 yr old student from my school died from a drug overdose.We all knew he had the problem.I was told to activate our HS crisis team since his 2 brothers were attending summer school.
All the kids that were crying and making this kid a hero. And to think of what happened yest in the Adirondacks.
Anyway,I'm not sure if this story about these kids made the national news.It should though.Because they were taught certain values growing up and died doing what they believed in.Helping out another friend.
In Sept when my HS starts I promise to tell all 1,300 kids at my school the story of three high school teenagers and what happened on Aug 13th in the Adirondacks.
I pasted the article from the NY Post or NY Dailey News.
TEENS DIE IN WHIRLING WHITEWATER AS RESCUE GOES AWRY
By KEN LOVETT, and IKIMULISA LIVINGSTON and ADAM MILLER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOSS: Adam Cohen (front left), Jonah Richman (front right) and Jordan Satin (back center) tried to save a fellow counselor.
Email Archives
Print Reprint
August 14, 2003 -- Four teen camp counselors drowned in a popular Adirondacks swimming hole after one tumbled into the rain-swollen river and the three others - lifelong friends from Long Island - dived into the whirling waters in a desperate attempt to rescue their pal.
The victims - Jonah Richman, 18, Adam Cohen, 19, and Jordan Satin, 19, all of Hewlett, and David Altschuler, 18, of Philadelphia - were pulled under by the roaring Boquet River at Split Rock Falls, a series of picturesque pools and waterfalls in Elizabethtown, some 100 miles north of Albany.
"It had to be something like saving a friend to get them to jump in the water," Cohen's tearful dad, David, told The Post last night after he and wife, Jodie, identified their son's body at Elizabethtown Community Hospital.
"These kids are model citizens. The whole country should hear about these kids," he said, tears streaming down his face.
The devastated mom, Jodie Cohen, added, "He went to save his friend's life. You're not supposed to die like that."
The tragic teens were among about 20 counselors from nearby Camp Baco who went to the falls Tuesday to relax, swim and soak up some rays.
Richman, Cohen and Satin, all college students, had been lifeguards and members of their high-school swim team.
In fact, Richman and Cohen - who were co-captains - earned all-county honors and also starred on the football team.
But not even the strongest of swimmers could have survived the raging whitewaters that day, said State Police Capt. Bruce Dunning.
"This time of year, with this much rain, it's a dangerous place to be," said Dunning. "It's completely whitewater."
Forest Ranger Ed Russell said the "force of the water cannot be underestimated."
The tragedy unfolded about 3 p.m. Tuesday when Altschuler tumbled off a ledge into the roaring river, dangerously swollen by recent rains, and was pulled under by the churning currents, police said.
The other three dived into the rough waters in a desperate attempt to save Altschuler, who disappeared under the roiling surface of the lake.
But the powerful currents proved too treacherous for the teens, who were swallowed up by the fierce waters, as fellow counselors watched helplessly from ledges jutting out over the gorge.
"There was one that slipped in and three heroic efforts at saving his life," said Dunning.
Cohen's distraught dad, David, wiping away tears, said the Hewlett victims were "inseparable."
"They were very close," he said. "Incredible kids. They were joined at the hip. They did for others, never for themselves," he added.
In their high-school yearbooks, under hobbies and interests, the Hewlett victims each mentioned Camp Baco and each other.
In an eerie twist, Cohen also listed Split Rock as one of his interests.
Camp Baco owner Bob Wortman said, "This is a very sad day for everyone.
"At this time, our primary concern is providing comfort and support for the families of these young people.
"These counselors were part of our family, and we are all devastated by this loss."
Richman's distraught uncle, Nassau County legislator Jeffrey Toback, said his nephew was a wonderful kid who loved helping others.
"He made his parents proud every day," Toback said.
"This is so hard. It's devastating. We're in shock. This is tragic for all the families."
Cohen attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Richman was a journalism major at Northwestern, and Satin attended the University of Colorado.
Police divers recovered Richman's body Tuesday night, and the three other bodies, wedged under a ledge in a 20-foot deep pool, were recovered yesterday afternoon.
Officials said there are so many accidents at Split Rock Falls that rescuers have rappel anchors permanently bolted into the rock.
But Essex County Sheriff Henry Hommes said this was the worst drowning he's ever seen in his three decades on the job.
More than a dozen counselors were taken to the hospital for counseling.
Before they left Split Rock Falls, many wept as they sat on a stone wall overlooking the raging river below.
Camp Baco, founded in 1951 by Mel and Ruth Wortman, is a family-owned sleepaway camp located on Lake Balfour in Minerva, about 35 miles southwest of the falls.
Its sister camp for girls, Camp Che-Na-Wah, is located a half-mile north of Baco along the lake.
Over the years, campers at the locations have included famed film director Francis Ford Coppola and singer-actress Lainie Kazan.
With Post Wire Services
