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American Morning
Couple Describes Near Death on Mississippi River
Aired July 05, 2001 - 11:52 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Tom Barbeau and his wife, Margaret Brownrigg -- that is them down there into that boat about to go over a 100-foot-high spillway on the Mississippi River. The boat's motor died and strong currents swept them to the edge.
Rescuers got to them in time, and we now have Tom and Margaret with us on the phone from Minneapolis.
Good morning, and congratulations on being rescued.
MARGARET BROWNRIGG: Hi.
TOM BARBEAU: Good morning.
KAGAN: Tom, why don't we start with you. What was the original idea for yesterday's outing?
BARBEAU: Well, we were going to go down the river and see the fireworks, but before that we had met people down at boat lodge, and they said we should try to go down to St. Paul, it's a lot more fun. So we were going through the locks down to St. Paul, and the locks weren't ready. It was about 45 minutes they were being used.
KAGAN: I had heard through the stories that there were warnings that people weren't supposed to be doing exactly what you were doing, because of high water level. Did you hear any of those warnings?
BARBEAU: I heard it on the news a couple of days ago, but the locks were open; they were letting people through. I hadn't heard anything about it for...
KAGAN: So is it sounded like a good idea at the time.
BARBEAU: Yes, it was a good idea. I was a long way away from that.
(CROSSTALK)
BROWNRIGG: The motor that went out made -- and then we drifted. We weren't anywhere near that.
BARBEAU: Yes, so we drifted. The current just pulled us right down.
BROWNRIGG: Because the motor was out.
KAGAN: We're watching video -- I don't know you if you guys can see this -- of the actual rescue taking place. Margaret, why don't you talk about that and tell me when you knew exactly that you guys were in big trouble?
BROWNRIGG: I knew we were in big trouble as soon as we -- I'm glad we hit something and got stuck, or else it would have been over. He had a cell phone, so that's what did it. That got us some help, but it took a long time. I was going, Help, help. It seemed like it took a long time.
(CROSSTALK)
KAGAN: The rescuers that we heard from earlier said that this was a very difficult rescue. Tell us from your perspective. When they yelled at you, did they tell you they were going to throw you this life raft? I would have been scared to get in the water like you guys did right here.
BARBEAU: Well, first they came out to us, tried to help us, and they couldn't, so they went back to the shore.
BROWNRIGG: Because they were going to wait for the helicopter.
BARBEAU: And I said, Come back, I can't wait for this hospital. There's no helicopter there. They're going to wait for the helicopter to come. I didn't think we had any more time, so I panicked and asked them to come back -- and luckily, they did come back.
KAGAN: How scary that was that, to jump in the water like that? I think, Margaret, we're seeing you go first. What was that like, to be pulled to this other boat?
BARBEAU: Well they just pulled us.
BROWNRIGG: That was great, because, man, we were going to be saved. We couldn't wait to get in those little...
KAGAN: So whatever it was going to take time.
Tom, I understand with you, it was a little bit more difficult.
BARBEAU: I was under the water for a long time, and I said, Boy, I hope I'm not under the water here, and I started taking in water.
KAGAN: Did you swallow a big chunk of the Mississippi there?
BARBEAU: Yes, I did.
It took a long...
BROWNRIGG: I thought he was drowning, my God.
BARBEAU: It took a long time.
KAGAN: Big thanks for your rescuers yesterday, I would imagine.
BROWNRIGG: Oh, man, it was so wonderful.
(CROSSTALK)
BARBEAU: They rescued our lives.
BROWNRIGG: They're heroes, men. They were wonderful.
BARBEAU: You can see that their power died for a minute.
BROWNRIGG: They did.
BARBEAU: They drifted towards the thing.
BROWNRIGG: I thought we were all going to go over because their power died.
KAGAN: Do you have any future boating plans, or do you plan to stay on dry land for awhile?
BARBEAU: Margaret says no, but I'm going back out.
BROWNRIGG: No rivers.
BARBEAU: I'll stay away from rivers.
KAGAN: That's a good idea -- and from tall drop-offs, as well.
Tom Barbeau, Margaret Brownrigg, we're so glad that your story had a happy ending. Thanks for coming on with us and telling us your story.
BARBEAU: OK.
BROWNRIGG: OK, thank you.
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