St Croix takes the life of another teenager~ Almost two

Hudson drowning victim, 19, was St. Paul resident

One teen died and another was rescued after both east metro residents went underwater Tuesday, June 6, on the St. Croix River at Hudson.

Hudson Police Chief Marty Jensen said the apparent drowning victim, a 19-year-old from St. Paul, was pronounced dead at about 6 p.m. at Hudson Hospital.

A second teen was pulled from the water by friends and was saved by CPR, the chief said. Jensen that that person, an 18-year-old Maplewood resident was “doing well” and recovering at Hudson Hospital.

Jensen said the teens were part of a group that had been on Hudson’s dike and attempted swimming to a nearby island.

They 19-year-old began “floundering” in the river waters, the chief said, and the 18-year-old went to help him.

Witnesses told police both teens went underwater, but the 18-year-old was rescued and pulled to shore, where an unidentified person performed CPR and resuscitated him.

Police were initially called to a report of one person having drowned. It wasn’t until officers arrived on shore that they learned the second teen was unaccounted for, Jensen said.

That prompted a call for dive teams from St. Croix and Washington counties.

Jensen said the 19-year-old was located by sonar after being underwater for about an hour.

The teens’ names were being withheld late Tuesday pending out-of-state family notification, Jensen said.

He said the river is still up after the region saw heavy rains in May. He advised would-be swimmers to use caution.

“Make sure you know your limitations,” he said.

Jensen said it’s been at least a couple years since Hudson experienced a drowning on the St. Croix.

Crews from Hudson, St. Croix County, Washington County and the Lower St. Croix Fire Department were among responding agencies.

Link to Woodbury Bulletin

That is sad.
River has had several news stories lately. Interesting spring for sure.

Very sad. I grew up in Hudson and a high school classmate died in a tubing accident on the croix. Didn’t even know him well and yet I think of that every time I’m on that river.

Stay safe everyone.

A few years ago I saw this very same type of event unfolding. Fortunately I was able to help. That is the first thing I thought of when seeing this. If your fishing around kids messing in water do keep an eye out.

This happened during our fishing league take off last night. Amazing how fast the first responders and emergency personnel were. Within an hour, there were probably 4 dive teams at the end of the dike. There was a dive team from Scandia putting their boat in when they must have found him. This was all within an hour from the first sirens going off. I feel for this kids family. They’ve had a tough couple months.

Very sad indeed. When you think of the recent drowning victims only being 6 & 19 years old, their whole lives still in front of them. To bad we can’t make young people understand they are not invincible.To young, to strong, to all knowing. A bad formula that takes to many kids.

My thoughts and prayers go to the families. My thoughts also to those of us who go without life jackets and tethers to our motors. Are we any smarter then those who are young and brave?

I am an elementary school teacher I remember hearing kids talk during the hurricane Katrina disaster-they could not believe water could kill people. They go to water parks and little pools and have no concept how dangerous water can be.

Truly sad incident.
What really makes me sad is the fact that drugs were the cause.

saugeye-steve wrote:

Truly sad incident.
What really makes me sad is the fact that drugs were the cause.

I guess I hadn’t heard that drugs were involved. Where did you hear this?

We grew up on the river also and did the same stupid things that the kids do now. It is part of growing up and learning lessons. I think differently than some and understand that this will always be a part of life that everyone goes through. Especially boys.

You just hope no one gets hurt learning these lessons.

I feel for the family and friends. This is the worst case scenario and always very sad to hear. Drugs or not. Its good to hear one of the boys is doing ok now and truly sad to loose the other.

buschman wrote:

We grew up on the river also and did the same stupid things that the kids do now. It is part of growing up and learning lessons. I think differently than some and understand that this will always be a part of life that everyone goes through. Especially boys.

When I was 18, a drunk and thoughtless friend pushed a beached canoe out into the river late one night. I got off work from a local bar around midnight and arrived at the beach downtown Hudson to find all the girls in our group of friends in a tizzy, trying to make him swim out and get it. I was worried he wouldn’t make it in his condition, so I took the opportunity to impress the ladies with my chivalry and strength. By the time I caught up to that canoe I was basically in Minnesota.

I made it back safely, and 4 years later I married the prettiest girl in that group. But things could’ve gone so differently that night. As a parent now I an always struggling to find the balance between letting my kids be kids and trying to protect them. I can’t imagine what that family must be going through now.

pool2fool wrote:

As a parent now I an always struggling to find the balance between letting my kids be kids and trying to protect them. I can’t imagine what that family must be going through now.

That is a balance that every parent questions quite often. I am in the same boat and don’t know if there is ever a perfect balance. Hope the parents of these kids don’t see it as their fault in this case or any other. Cant change things after the fact. The “what if” questions will weight heavy on person.

bzzsaw wrote:

I guess I hadn’t heard that drugs were involved. Where did you hear this?

I have first hand knowledge.