“I was standing there keeping an eye on the kids when I noticed a man in the middle of the pool waving, then disappearing under the water,” Thomas said.
“At first I thought he might be mucking around, but the way he kept going under didn’t look right. That’s when I realised he was in real trouble.”
Thomas was at the falls with his childhood friend Gareth Carney and their families.
“Gareth and I reacted at the same time,” Thomas said. “He threw the lifesaving ring as we ran down the steps and dived in. I didn’t even stop to take my socks off.”
A nearby teenager reached the man first but was pulled under as the man panicked.
When Thomas and Gareth arrived, both were gasping and flailing.
“I checked the teenager was okay and told him to back off. Then the man grabbed me. We got him into the life ring, but he was so panicked he kept trying to wriggle free.”
The pair swam the man around 20 metres to safety, where Gareth’s partner Nickie, a nurse, helped keep him calm.
The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, which manages the falls, said their rangers stayed with the man to ensure he was alright.
They said the man appeared shaken, but declined medical attention and later left the park without assistance.
Thomas said the incident was a reminder to know your limits in natural waterways and has since recommended additional life rings and increased ranger patrols during busy periods.
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