Man Dives Into Water Main Break's Ditch, Saves Drowning Man From Freezing Waters

He was there to remove two cars from a flooding roadway. Instead, Donald Graham dove into a flooding hole in the ground and saved a man from drowning in ice-cold water.

It was 2 a.m. March 17. Graham was called by Toms River Police to help assist at a water main break, where his towing company was needed to remove cars from the flooding roadway. The water main broke on Brokaw Boulevard, causing an eight-foot deep hole, filled with water, in the roadway, Graham said.

“It looked like a river was coming out of the ground,” Graham said of the scene that night. He was working with Accurate Towing, and his job was to tow two vehicles out of the way of the water in the road.

A United Water employee, named Brian, was working on the water main, when he took a wrong step to the left, falling into the ditch.

“I saw him go down, and I didn’t see him come back up,” Graham said, remembering the evening. “So, I got out of the truck, and not thinking about anything else, and I pulled him out by shoulders.”

Graham dove head first into the ditch to pull Brian out, submerging himself in the water as well. Graham was later treated at the scene for hypothermia.

Because Brian was under water in the cold, he started going into hypothermia. He also suffered from back injuries, and is now out of work, Graham said, but had it not been for his rescue, he could have drowned in the ditch.

Graham said Brian visited the shop after the incident, and brought Mega Millions tickets to thank him for saving his life.

“He told me, ‘If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have seen my two little girls grow up,’” Graham said.

Graham was presented with a commendation for his service, receiving the honor from Mayor Thomas Kelaher at the January meeting.

Graham was honored by the recognition for putting his own life in danger to save a stranger.

“You don’t always have to be paid to do something good,” said Graham. “It was an honor.”