Seven-year-old Indie Rasmussen, of Michie, was kayaking “Up a Creek” with her family on Saturday, May 31, near Savannah. Indie said it was over in only two minutes, but an encounter with fast moving water and a fallen tree felt like an eternity for her mom and or demonstrated the goodness of people to Indie.
Not an expert, but not a beginner, Indie paddled her own kayak, fighting through the quickly moving water. As she rounded a bend, the current carried her toward a fallen tree. Indie said she attempted to correct her direction. “I was trying (to paddle the other way),” she said, “but I just couldn’t; it was too strong.” The kayak hit an obstacle, turned backwards and flipped.
“And then I got stuck,” Indie said matter-of-factly, describing how the events unfolded. “I flipped over and got stuck under my kayak for just like two seconds,” Indie explained. Somehow, she was able to grab a small branch, holding to it tightly but nearly losing her hold on the slippery surface.
What happened next? There is quite a bit more to Indie’s story, but she summed it up in just three words.
“Jennifer saved me!” Indie said simply, leaning into her mom and smiling up at her new friend.
Jennifer Todd, Director at the Chester County Senior Center, was also spending the day on the water at Up a Creek. It was a matter of being at the right place at the right time, Jennifer claimed, waving off any mention of heroics. Seeing the young girl had gotten separated from her group and was pushed down river, Jennifer was able to make her way through the current, up river, to where Indie held on. The current was too strong to make her way to the bank with the child, but others had already begun to jump into action as well. Onlookers joined together with Indie’s family to make a human chain across the water but were unable to reach them. Others approached in kayaks and canoes, each adding another link to the chain that eventually numbered more than 20 people in all as well as a kayak. Then, a man holding onto the kayak threw a rope, finally reaching Jennifer and Indie. With a good hold on Indie and the rope, Jennifer said the two were towed back to shore.
The two minutes lasted for an eternity to Sasha, she noted, adding that Indie was only underwater for a brief moment through the entire ordeal.
Indie’s mom and siblings, Marlie, Alakai and Kaya, make the trip to Henderson the following week to thank Jennifer and recognize her efforts.
Sasha wasn’t surprised to find Jennifer spends her days serving others. “Here you are working at a senior center and saving kids on the weekend!” Sasha laughed.
“I was just doing what anyone else would do,” Jennifer waved off the accolades.
The new friends swapped contacts, planning to stay in touch. “We’ll definitely be inviting you to our next birthday party,” Sasha said.
As for Indie’s boating future, the seven-year-old has no interest in kayaking again at this time. She agrees that when you fall off a bike you get back up, but she doesn’t see how that relates to this particular topic.
While that lesson may not seem applicable to Indie at the moment, Sasha pointed out the best thing they’ve discovered – “People are good, and they want to help each other.”
