A Louisville man who died after jumping into the Ohio River in January in an attempt to save a drowning woman has received national recognition.
Adam L. Thomas, 34, leapt into the Ohio River in downtown Louisville on January 13 around noon as he tried to save a woman who had jumped into the river near the city’s Historic Wharf.
Both the woman and Thomas perished. The woman’s body has not yet been recovered.
Thomas’ body was pulled from the river on April 2, nearly 100 miles downstream near Warrick County, Indiana.
The Warrick (Ind.) County Coroner’s Office, who identified Thomas, said in a press release after recovering his body: ”The actions of Mr. Thomas were a true act of heroism and took great courage. Mr. Thomas placed himself in harm’s way in order to help another and ultimately sacrificed his life in doing so.”
On Tuesday, Thomas was honored by The Carnegie Hero Fund — which recognizes American civilians who risk their lives to save or attempt to save others in acts of heroism — with the Carnegie Medal. Thomas’ family will receive a financial grant in his honor.
The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission released the following statement on Thomas’ sacrifice:
From a bicycle trail along a Louisville, Kentucky, road, a 36-year-old woman climbed over a railing and entered the swollen, swift-flowing Ohio River on Jan. 13. As the woman swam in the 41-degree water away from the near bank, multiple bystanders congregated on the trail. Adam Layman Thomas, a 34-year-old business owner of Louisville, who stopped his vehicle on the road, went to confer with them. Removing his outer clothing, Thomas also climbed over the railing and entered the river. As he swam toward the woman, she continued moving downstream. Shortly, Thomas struggled and ultimately submerged. The woman, who reached the vicinity of an island before witnesses lost sight of her, has yet to be located and is presumed dead. Nearly three months later, authorities recovered Thomas from the river about 100 miles from the scene. He had drowned.
(Photo: Adam Thomas and his son, courtesy of The Courier Journal)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@105.com
