Tourist dies saving Mich. mayor in Caribbean

Diane Gale Andreassi | Observer & Eccentric

SOUTH LYON, Mich. — A tourist apparently died trying to save the city's Mayor Tedd Wallace when Wallace was being swept away by a riptide while vacationing Sunday in St. Croix, part of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Wallace, who vacations on the island for about six weeks each winter, was caught up in the choppy waters at Renaissance St. Croix Carambola Beach Resort and Spa while he was boogie boarding.

A Danish tourist tried to rescue the mayor but died during the attempt. A second rescuer, who was climbing rocks nearby, pulled Wallace from the water, but was unable to save the first would-be rescuer.

Wallace was emotional Tuesday morning as he recalled the harrowing incident that almost took his life, as well as the sacrifice by the Danish stranger.

"They're both heroes," Wallace said. "The rescuer said he didn't know why he climbed up on the rocks. He said he looked over to the left and realized that we were in trouble."

"I think it was just like some kind of divine intervention," the rescuer was quoted in the St. Croix Avis newspaper as saying.

Wallace said he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from friends on the island. He said he talked to the victim's wife after the incident, and she hugged him.

Wallace said he believed the victim was in his 70s, but he didn't have his name or age. He said the Danish man heard him calling for help as the tide was pulling him toward a mass of rocks.

The victim was about 20 feet away, Wallace said, adding that he told the man to hang onto the boogie board "and we'll paddle together," the newspaper reported. "All of a sudden he just went under. I don't know if he had a heart attack or what."

Talking about the incident a few days after the fact, Wallace said "I really thought for about 10 minutes that my end had come. I was hanging on to the boogie board and crashing down and coming up. Miraculously this hand was reaching out for me. The whole ocean just shifted and took me so fast. I'm done doing that activity for the rest of my life, and I'm thankful for what life I have left."