Relieved fisherman hoping to keep foot after rescue

MURRAY — Constantly wiping back tears and at times speaking almost no louder than a whisper, Dean Ririe said Tuesday he was happy to be alive and admitted there were many times he didn't think he'd make it.

Ririe, 52, was fishing in Little Cottonwood Creek Sunday when his foot became wedged between a rock and a giant boulder. He was trapped in the cold water for 16 hours before an 11-year-old boy heard his cries for help the next morning and called rescuers who got him out.

It took rescue crews about 90 minutes to free Ririe from the boulder and get him to a local hospital.

Ririe was listed in satisfactory condition in ICU at Intermountain Medical Center. His biggest fear is losing his right foot or some toes, which is still a possibility. But mostly, he was just happy to be alive.

"It was life-threatening. He could have died from this," said Jody Carter, part of the IMC trauma team treating Ririe.

Ririe's trouble started about 6:30 p.m. Sunday in Little Cottonwood Creek, when he got a fish on the line. He was wearing his waders and was stepping over a big boulder onto a smaller one when the smaller boulder gave way. Ririe said he got caught in strong current and was pulled completely under the water. He was pushed up against a large boulder, about the size of a compact vehicle.

After slipping on the small rock, his right foot became pinned between the small rock and the large boulder. He grabbed a couple of pieces of deadwood floating in the creek and tried to pry himself out. But after a couple of hours of attempting to wedge himself out with no success, Ririe knew he needed to conserve his energy and watch his body temperature for the long night that was approaching.

Ririe was near the Tanners Flat camp area and "pretty continuously" called for help, he said. But he knew the possibility of someone hearing him wasn't great.

"I wasn't close enough to the campground with the roar of the water (for anyone to hear)," he said.

The waders Ririe were wearing ripped and filled with water. He put his arms inside his waders in an effort to keep warm. He said he was able to stay propped against the large boulder so the water wasn't quite waist deep.

As the night went on, Ririe grew more worried.

"I was afraid to fall asleep. I was afraid if I fell asleep I would sink in," he said.

Thoughts of his wife and three young children, and his parents, kept Ririe going.

In the early morning hours on Tuesday, Ririe's wife, Tracey, began looking for him. She tried Big Cottonwood and East canyons first, and by 8 a.m., she found his truck up Little Cottonwood Canyon. At about the same time, 11-year-old Alex Malin, who had spent the night with his family at Tanners Flat, was collecting firewood in the forest when he heard cries for help.

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