Batavia man rescues 2 after canoe capsizes

A Batavia man pulled two people to safety after their canoe capsized in the Fox River Wednesday.

Thomas Wangler Jr. and his wife, Paula, were walking along the east side of the river near the 800 block of North River Street around 9 a.m. when they saw a canoe on its side in the river.

Wangler called out to the two people in the water. They were able to tell him they were the only two in the water but didn't respond to other questions.

"I asked if they were OK and they didn't answer," he said. "I knew they were in trouble."

The couple called the fire department, and Wangler, an Eagle Scout and canoeist, waited until he could hear sirens before going into the river up to his waist.

First he coaxed Brittany Trushel, 24, toward him as he inched out into the river up to his neck. He was able to reach her and pull her ashore.

But Erik Smolik, 27, had given Trushel both of their life jackets and was holding on to the canoe and drifting downriver closer to the dam.

Because the two were wearing heavy clothing, even with a life jacket they could barely keep their heads above water, Wangler said.

Wangler ran downriver and threw a life jacket to Smolik, who could swim only incrementally toward him. Wangler got as far out as he could and not get caught in the current himself.

"I finally got his darn hand, and then lost my footing," he said. "I got that back and dragged him to shore."

By that time, paramedics had arrived on the scene. Trushel and Smolik estimated they had been in the water for 15 to 20 minutes.

With a strong current, strong wind and cold water in the river, hypothermia was a possibility, said Batavia Fire Department Battalion Chief Randy Banker.

Trushel and Smolik were taken to Delnor-Community Hospital, where they were treated and released.

The two are employees of the Illinois Natural History Survey, based at the University of Illinois in Champaign. They were on the Fox River to take water samples Wednesday morning.

Later in the day, Wangler, 37, who owns Confident Aire in Batavia, said he was glad to help.

"I was trained to do this," he said. "They're alive, I'm alive -- that's all that matters."