PORTLAND, Ore. — A good Samaritan and a 911 dispatcher were recognized Thursday by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office on Monday for helping save a man who fell into the Columbia River last week.

On Nov. 16, a man was seen struggling in the river near Hayden Island. The water was dangerously cold, and he was roughly 100 yards from shore near an area with almost no vehicle access.

Solomon Florea, who lives on the opposite shore of the river and is familiar with the area, grabbed his kayak and paddled out to reach the man. He pulled him to shore and kept him calm until emergency responders arrived.

“I was just there doing what I would do as a proper, decent human. I think that just calming him down, letting him know he was not alone,” Florea said on Monday.

Dispatcher Holly Campbell gu

See Full Page