Survivor recounts near-death experience rafting on American River in Carmichael
Romni Neiman is still troubled by a near-death experience. She is hoping her story will encourage other people to stay safe when going in the water.
"I've had nightmares of the sound of water rushing around you," Neiman said.
She and her partner decided to go floating in intertubes on a sunny day two weeks ago.
"We thought we would just glide down," Neiman said. "I did bring paddles so that if we needed to get moving, we could use them."
A smiling photo she took at the beginning of the day shows no sign of the danger that was about to occur.
The two got caught in a strong current that swept them past the shoreline at Riverbend Park in Carmichael, where they intended to get out.
"We just could not get over the current was picking up," Neiman said.
The force of the water then carried their inner tubes right into the path of a partially submerged tree.
"A floatie with a cooler got sucked down underneath the tree, and since my tube was attached, I went right down with it," Neiman said.
Her partner ended up in an even worse spot.
"His tube popped on the branches on the end of the tree and he ended up holding on to the very end of the tree, and just a handhold and his legs were getting blown straight back from the current," Neiman said.
Some people floating by called 911 and came to help until Sacramento Metro Fire's rescue boat arrived on the scene.
Metro Fire Captain Mark Nunez says it's been a busy summer for rescue crews along this stretch of waterway, and he says nearly everyone who needs help isn't properly prepared.
"The common denominator with victims is they didn't come down in the right type of raft and they didn't have a life vest," he said.
Neiman admits she didn't have a life jacket, and she wants others to learn from her mistake.
"Hopefully, other people could hear this and make different decisions," Neiman said.
Metro Fire encourages people to rent or purchase a raft with multiple air chambers, and they say free loaner life jackets are available at many parks along the American River.Richard Ramos
contributed to this report.
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