Roger Woodburn, age 7, had without doubt the most unique and terrifying experience for a human being. He was swept over Niagara Falls, but through great mercy he lived to tell of his frightening ordeal and thrilling rescue.
Roger and his sister, Deanne, 17, on the morning of July 9, 1960, went out for a boat ride with a friend of the family, James Hunnicut, age 40. Roger’s father had made the children promise that they would wear their life jackets. It was a beautiful day, and all went well. The little craft propelled by its 7:1/2 h.p. outboard motor was in comparatively safe waters about five miles above the Falls. Hunnicut, the pilot, allowed the boat to sail downstream into the calm waters just below the Ontario Hydro control dam.
Few boats have dared to venture below this point of “no return.” It was here that Hunnicut underestimated the strength of the current, for when he turned the boat around and headed back, he found that instead of making headway, they were being carried slowly but surely downstream. Soon they were in the swirling rapids; then amid the rocks the motor sheared a pin and was useless. Deanne hastily put on her life jacket; Roger was wearing his. Hunnicut seized the oars, but in vain; the powerful current had the little boat in its grasp and carried them ever downward. Now they could hear the roar of the mighty cataract. Robert became frightened and screamed, “We’re going to die.” Deanne tried to calm him. Then the boat capsized, throwing them all into the water.
Deanne had a last glimpse of Roger and Hunnicut being swept along in the current ahead. She summoned all her strength and made for the shore of Goat Island. The crowds of people watching near the brink of the Falls froze with fear. Deanne was only a few feet from shore, but was being swept along. Then a brave onlooker risked his life, climbed over the rails, and with one foot hooked in the railing he reached out his full length. Deanne caught hold of his thumb, only fifteen feet from the brink of the awful chasm, 162 feet deep. Another man also climbed over the rails to help, and together they pulled Deanne to safety.
Meanwhile, James Hunnicut had grasped little Roger, telling him, “Don’t be scared! I’ll hold you.” But the savage waters tore them apart. Over they went! Down, Down, Down! and were lost to view in the seething spray and billows below.
River experts estimate the hole at the bottom to be 180 to 200 feet deep. James Hunnicut perished. The river gave up his dead body four days later.
Roger shot clear of the rocks below and hit the water hard. Down, down he went, but up he came again fast. Moments later, the captain of the little excursion boat, Maid of the Mist, saw an object in the water at the base of the Falls. He radioed to shore calling out, “It’s a boy. And he’s alive!”
Passengers on the little ship were terrified. Then as Roger floated downstream, the men on the ship threw him a life preserver. Two attempts failed in the surging, boiling torrent. Roger began to cry. At the third try, however, he seized hold of the life preserver and was drawn to safety.
Apart from a few bruises, neither Roger nor Deanne were the worse for their awful experience, and were released from the hospital after a few hours.
Surely, it was the mercy of God that spared their lives; yet in a human way, what no doubt helped to save them was the fact they both wore a life jacket. James Hunnicut did not have one, and died.
This amazing, terrifying incident helps illustrate to us what is being enacted in the lives of boys and girls men and women, every day. We are all being carried along irresistibly in the great stream of time. That awful drop over the mighty Falls of Niagara may well serve as a picture to us of death. “It is appointed un to men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Heb. 9:2727And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27). It may be a bright summer day, in the midst of some seemingly innocent pleasure, that death may come and can for you, dear reader.
James Hunnicut’s last words to Roger were, “I’ll hold you,” but how vain his efforts! Reader, when you pass out of this scene from time into eternity you will go out alone.
It is said, that without doubt what saved Roger’s life was his life jacket. That life jacket may well serve as a picture of Christ. Those who have Christ in their life will have Him in death they will not pass into it alone. And just as Roger rose again above the awful flood, those who have Christ, even if called to pass through death, will one day rise in resurrection life, beyond the power of death, to live with Him in glory forever. They have everlasting life now; and they will not come into judgment but have passed from death unto life. (John 5:2424Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)).
On the other hand, those who do not have Christ as their Saviour and Preserver will perish in the awful flood waters of judgment to come.
Perhaps Deanne’s rescue before going over the Falls might serve as a little illustration of those who have Christ as their Saviour and who will not pass through death, for when the Lord comes from heaven to call His own out of this world, there will be the living ones who shall rise to meet Him in the air. “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the winkling of an eye, at the last trump.” 1 Cor. 15:51,5251Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51‑52).
Dear reader, in closing this story, we would like to affectionately ask you the question: “Do you have the Life Preserver on—Do you have Christ as your Saviour?” Take Him now. Do not delay. Today you may have to face death and pass into eternity. And where will it be for you—heaven or hell?
Passing onward, quickly passing,
Naught the wheels of time can stay;
Sweet the thought that some are going
To the realms of perfect day;
Passing onward—
Christ their Leader,
Christ their Way.
ML 10/15/1967