DETROIT, MICHIGAN: Spencer Baker, a 27-year-old man, miraculously survived after plunging 152 feet into the Detroit River from the Ambassador Bridge that connects Michigan to Canada. He was reportedly working on the bridge to replace suspension cables during the incident but was rescued after two women named Bernita Flowers and Terri George, who lost their immediate family member in the same area decades ago, raised an alarm to save Baker.
Shortly after the alarm, Baker was rescued by a crew aboard a Detroit mail delivery boat while he was still conscious and escorted to the shore in a ferry, the Daily Mail reported. Detroit Fire Chief James Harris said people fishing in the river saw the former in water and alerted the JW Westcott. The crew members, who regularly practice overboard drills were reportedly prepared to respond to the situation and took prompt action to pull Baker out of the river.
What is known about Spencer Baker?
Baker is a 27-year-old contractor and father to a four-month-old daughter. He recently made news after surviving a 152 feet fall from the Ambassador Bridge into the Detroit River. Sam Buchanan, captain of the Westcott crew who rescued the new father, detailed Baker's condition during the rescue operation while speaking with Fox 2 Detroit. "The force of the impact had ripped most of his clothes off of him. His work boots were still on him and his pants were around his ankles and he had his T-shirt on," he said.
"We were relieved that he could talk to us, but he was pretty out of it. He kept asking us what happened to him and we told him that he fell off the bridge," Buchanan shared. "We scrambled out to our boat and we got aboard - myself and two crew members, and with the help of the folks in the park they were pointing to where the man was. We had him on our hands probably about two to three minutes after he hit the water so it was a pretty quick recovery and once we got him on the boat we got him back to our dock and the Detroit Fire Department was here already," he explained.
"They were really fast on their response," Buchanan concluded. "He's very fortunate," said Fire Chief Harris while speaking about Baker. However, the latter did not go into the details of the incident but mentioned he was "doing everything I needed to do, and that's all I'm going to say about that." Reports suggest that Baker was working on the Ambassador Bridge and replacing its suspension cables prior to the fall. While he has been released from the hospital, the contracter reportedly suffered from injuries.
As per the Daily Mail, all of Baker's ribs on the left side of his body are broken while his right cheekbone is fractured. Authorities have also said that his "whole body is purple." Speaking about his feelings during the incident, Baker told CTV, "I was just thinking this is it, man, my life is over. I'm never going to see my daughter again. My fiancée. My whole life flashed before my eyes."
"I remember being in the water and trying to keep my head up on my back. And then I just remember hearing the people on the boat saying 'we're coming, we're coming,'" he recalled. "I feel very, very fortunate. I'm so thankful for all the people that ran to help me rescue me," Baker addeed. The contracter will reportedly be off from work while recovering from his injuries and is currently worried about his future despite receiving a lot of support.
"It's been really heartwarming, but at the same time it's been tough because it's all going through my head right now," he shared. "I'm worried about the future because I've got to provide for my daughter and my family. I don't know how long it's going to be before I'm fully functional again," Baker added. A GoFundMe page launched to support Baker and his family has raised nearly $12000 as of Monday, July 17, afternoon.
'It brought back a few memories'
The two women who raised an alarm after seeing Baker fall down the Ambassador Bridge also lost a loved one in the Detroit River nearly three decades ago. Bernita Flowers, who witnessed Baker's incident in-person said she lost her partner, while her daughter Terri George, lost her father when their family member drowned in the same river 29 years ago. "It brought back a few memories — yes, it did," Flowers told WXYZ.
"For that to happen, it resurfaced everything I thought I was over. It shocked me so bad. I couldn't believe it was happening in front of my own eyes," George added. However, she also mentioned that Baker's rescue brought a sense of closure to their family. "I think he has a little baby, the victim, and I was just so happy that that baby gets to experience her dad more. It's really touching," George stated.
