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2 men rescue man from sinking SUV in East Naples golf course lake
“The guys were definitely heroes. There is no question in our mind that their quick action saved the life of this gentleman.”
Greg Speers/East Naples Fire Department
Ray Davis had a medical emergency and drove his sport utility vehicle into a lake off the eighth hole of the Lakewood Country Club golf course in East Naples. Davis was rescued by quick-acting neighbors.
DAVID ALBERS
Terry Odom
DAVID ALBERS
Richard Cameron
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With a craving for coffee, 49-year-old Terry Odom turned onto Lakewood Boulevard on Thursday morning as a shortcut to a nearby Starbucks.
What he didn’t know was that by the time he got his caffeine fix, he would have saved a man’s life by pulling him from a sinking vehicle.
Just before 10 a.m., Odom was following a silver sport utility vehicle as he turned off of U.S. 41 East onto Lakewood Boulevard. After making the turn, the driver of the SUV straightened up and fell over, he said.
“It was obvious he was having a seizure,” Odom said. “His vehicle veered to the right, went over those speed bump rocks, veered off into the lake, and as I was witnessing this, I pulled my truck over and was running after him.”
The SUV ended up about 25 to 30 feet offshore of a lake on the eighth hole of the Lakewood Country Club golf course, said Greg Speers, spokesman for the East Naples Fire Department. The SUV was sinking quickly in the 25-foot deep lake.
Lee Allison, 67, who lives across the street from the lake, was painting his fence as the SUV ran off the road and into the lake.
“I called 911 and told them we needed somebody out here immediately,” Allison said. “A fellow just drove into the lake and he was unconscious.”
At the edge of the lake, Odom jumped in and swam out to the vehicle. The driver, later identified as Ray Davis, was unconscious inside.
Water pressure prevented Odom from opening the driver’s side door, but the SUV’s two front windows were down.
“I dove in head first through the driver’s side window,” Odom said.
As the vehicle filled with dark brown water, Odom pushed Davis through the window, he said. Just then, 36-year-old Richard Cameron swam out to the vehicle and began pulling on Davis as Odom pushed.
“I was on my way to go fishing, but I didn’t think I was going to end up in a pond,” Cameron joked.
Odom pushed, Cameron pulled, but they could not get Davis completely out of the window. His legs were caught in the steering wheel, Cameron said.
“When the car first submerged, the first thing that went through my mind was that we weren’t going to get him out,” Cameron said.
“As soon as I thought that his legs popped lose. Him and I both popped up to the surface and I was able to drag him to shore.”
That left Odom alone underwater in the sinking SUV, though at that time he did not know Davis was out.
“I have to say, when the truck finally submerged, I had to get out,” he said. “I was doing that ‘Bourne Identity’ thing, taking that last gulp of air as we went under. I couldn’t see him anymore because the water was dark. I came out through the passenger window.”
When he surfaced, Odom saw that Cameron had Davis, who was regaining consciousness.
“I was praising God,” Odom said. “He was kind of getting conscious and I was telling him ‘you’re alive, you’re alive.’”
In shallower water, Deanna Flanary, 39, the Lakewood grounds keeper, and another man, who left without giving his name, helped bring Davis back to shore. Davis was transported to a local hospital.
Flanary said that Odom and Cameron were “unbelievable.”
“Right there, they all jumped in with no concern for themselves just to help that gentleman,” she said. “They’re the true heroes. If they hadn’t jumped in, that gentleman would have died.”
Speers said that by the time firefighters arrived, the SUV was completely underwater. The East Naples Fire dive team went down to make sure no one else was in the SUV.
“There’s no way we could have gotten him out in time,” Speers said. “We would have had difficulty even locating the vehicle. ... The guys were definitely heroes. There is no question in our mind that their quick action saved the life of this gentleman.”
Cameron wants nothing of the hero talk, referring to himself only as a good Samaritan.
“I did what any normal, responsible human being in that situation should do,” he said.
Odom said God put him in the right position Thursday morning.
“You always ask yourself if you’d be willing to do that,” Odom said. “But you just react. I was not going to let him drown.”
Comments
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wow jumping through windows! stayin in the car like jason bourne after getting the guy out of the car...embelish much?
good job saving a mans life, but lets not get carried away now.
#1 Posted by skipperdz on July 3, 2008 at 6:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Were you there skipper? Most likely not. Would you have even stopped to help? Most likely NOT.
#2 Posted by Pigsaw on July 3, 2008 at 6:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sounds like somebody is a little jealous of the attention that Mr. Odom is deservedly getting.
Maybe it just sounds embellished because you could never picture yourself doing anything like that, skipper. You're projecting your own fear and weakness onto Mr. Odom.
#3 Posted by myrealname on July 3, 2008 at 6:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Skipper.. he said he felt "Bourne" like when he was taking his last breath of air as the car was going down!! my vote is for Skipper being ASS of the day!!!
#4 Posted by here_since_seventy_one on July 3, 2008 at 7:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LOL, no way was the term I used "REAR".. NDN is only good for wrapping fish!!
#5 Posted by here_since_seventy_one on July 3, 2008 at 7:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ill take rear of the day. yes i've stopped to help people until ems arrive, then i go home. and working in the ER i feel ive done my share more than most. i just dont feel the need to call wink news and make a big deal about. accidents happen all the time and people stop to help before the ems arrive. yet people tend to just go on their way skipping the call to news stations. oh and pigsaw i was in the ER sorry, where we received several annoying calls from WINK, NBC and FOX trying to illegally obtain information without the patients consent.
#6 Posted by skipperdz on July 3, 2008 at 7:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree. Mr. Odem is a hero. Who cares if he envisioned himself in a particular way or if he gave much thought to the question. HE SAVED A MAN'S LIFE!!! Don't insult him, he deserves better.
#7 Posted by sunshinelover on July 3, 2008 at 7:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
oh yeah, Mr. Cameron too...kudo's guys..
#8 Posted by sunshinelover on July 3, 2008 at 7:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Terry Odom and Richard Cameron both did something truly heroic. skipperdz, you are an idiot.
#9 Posted by Sayswho on July 3, 2008 at 7:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ya Skipper.. accidents DO happen all the time.. they just dont happen in 25 foot deep lakes all the time!! ever hear of DROWNING??? you rearwipe!!
#10 Posted by here_since_seventy_one on July 3, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
a true idiot, i know modesty is dead. i didnt say what they did was wrong. i didnt say they werent heros. theres just two ways of doing it. one way is quietly, give a statement, the other is to make it superhuman. Cameron didn't boast, he made a little quirky joke and left it at that. two men did a great thing and they both handled it very differently. all im saying. all im gonna say.
#11 Posted by skipperdz on July 3, 2008 at 7:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Way to go guys! I say you should all pat yourself on the back. God Bless you all.
#12 Posted by meanieneenee on July 3, 2008 at 8:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
skipperdz nothing wrong with being a hero and bragging a little. This man is alive thanks to those men being in the right place at the right time. Bless them :) And you skipperdz, I hope you're never in the emergency room if I ever have an emergency you have absolutely zero people skills, you really are an ass (lol just wanted to see ass turn to rear ;))
#13 Posted by MIAbrat on July 3, 2008 at 8:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great job guys, but why is there a fresh dent on the rear left?
Looks like someone tried and succeeded a pit manuver.
#14 Posted by Opinionated on July 3, 2008 at 8:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Great job to those good samaritans that were there to help.
Thankfully there are still people around willing to go that extra mile.
#15 Posted by swfl_ff on July 3, 2008 at 9:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good job guys for taking the initiative to act. Alot of people are afraid to get involved. You guys sure do need to be recognized as good samaritains.
Glad to hear Mr. Davis is recovering.
#16 Posted by Nplschick on July 3, 2008 at 9:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Terry and Odom are amazing to rescue this guy.
They should be recognized with many honors for saving this guy's life.
SUV's are very dangerous, and they do not print the facts on the number of rollover incidents that happen every day.
CHECK YOUR TIRES often, and don't make a quick turn....EVER in an SUV...they are fun, but unsafe vehicles if the conditions are right.
#17 Posted by beetlejuice on July 3, 2008 at 11:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Nice save, happy ending to a possibly tragic story.
#18 Posted by Jadip811 on July 3, 2008 at 11:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
skipper: you're an arrrrrse. I bet you'd sit there just watching...hoping a real hero will come by and get the guy out.
THANK YOU TO ALL THAT HELPED THIS PERSON.
#19 Posted by FreshFace on July 4, 2008 at 2:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ps skippers: if you really ARE an EMT then you were trained to help in situations like this. These two men were simply going about their day and helped save a life. It's a good feeling to know you made a difference. Are you jealous that you don't get kudos daily? I'm a teacher and I could care less if someone takes credit for, say, helping someone learn to read.
It's ok, skips...someone somewhere out there loves you and thanks you for something.
#20 Posted by FreshFace on July 4, 2008 at 2:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
how deep could that water be? 2 ft?
#21 Posted by rickyb2001 on July 4, 2008 at 6:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is redicules! These two men did a wonderful thing and reading the comments here is sickening.
What? Do you guys all need a cup of coffee to wake up??
I doubt if the men called the news to get publicity, I am sure the water was much more then 2 feet deep if the suv was submerged completely.
Talk about a bunch of snarky comments.
I cant believe the nastiness of this board.
These men are heros and I am glad the news reported on their unselfish and courageous acts.
As for the posters here, get a life and think about someone besides yourself for once!
#22 Posted by miniart on July 4, 2008 at 7:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Praise the Lord in thanks for this remarkable story. I pray for the miserable angry lost souls who troll around this website looking to displace and inject their anger at the world even in a story as blessed as this. Please God, in the name of Jesus I pray that these unhappy people who login to this website cocked and ready to bicker and insult are saved soon and that they can start to enjoy life and take the positive from rare good news stories such as this instead inventing and evolving negative aspects of it.
#23 Posted by EddieEstero on July 4, 2008 at 8:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
miniart if you look the nasty comments are coming from only one person who's jealous that somebody did something good. Please don't place us all into the same category with him :(
#24 Posted by MIAbrat on July 4, 2008 at 8:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thanks to all involved. A tragic story turned miracle!
#25 Posted by wonderwoman on July 4, 2008 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
miniart, read before you blog.
#26 Posted by Opinionated on July 4, 2008 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
and miniart with a late, come-from-behind victory for rear of the day. I did NOT see that comin'!
#27 Posted by naplesscribe on July 4, 2008 at 11:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The lakes in Lakewood are deep. They are exceptionally maintained but very black and these two men risked their lives and deserve all the credit for taking the chance. Skip, if your the EMT who shows up to save my life, throw me in the lake, I got a better chance with good Samaritans like these than a moron like you.
#28 Posted by rdnaples on July 4, 2008 at 11:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How many of you out there in tv land would have done the same????? 50%?
#29 Posted by The_Brooks on July 4, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LETS GIVE SKIPPY A GOOD OLD FASHIONED SMACK DOWN !
#30 Posted by STONECRAB on July 4, 2008 at 12:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just thinking about drowning freaks me out.
Trying to get in and then out of a sinking vehicle scares the crap out of me.
Thank God for two men who never gave it a second thought!
Best wishes to the gentleman for a speedy recovery!
#31 Posted by mikesgirl on July 4, 2008 at 12:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Two guys go out of their way to help someone and Yet a woman is left to die on the hospital floor in Brooklyn. Oh, the irony!!
Glad to see that someone cares. Good job guys.
#32 Posted by Elle on July 4, 2008 at 12:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
skip says he "works in the ER". Perhaps he mops the floors or changes the linen. It sure doesn't sound like he has the people skills to be a nurse or EMT.
#33 Posted by PHATFROG on July 4, 2008 at 3:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I've known Terry for a number of years, he is a sincere man who helps many people here and abroad. I'm not surprised to find that he did this, he is just that kind of person. Well done Terry! Kudos too to Mr. Cameron.
And to the fool cynic who sees only an opportunity to run down someone he doesn't know, button your mouth! Terry is praising God for the strength to do what he did, and that a scene from a popular movie flashed in his head during the event isn't evidence that he is embellishing, it is what happened, you dope. Seeing your skepticism here I immediately thought of every episode of the Jon Stewart show, wherein Stewart takes normal and understandable events and convolutes them to fit his corrupt worldview. Associations between real events and popular culture like that happen involuntarily, just as Terry described. You are sick skip, get help.
#34 Posted by OP on July 4, 2008 at 3:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
On a lighter note, they both look remarkably dry and well groomed for having just taken a swim, don't they? :)
#35 Posted by OP on July 4, 2008 at 3:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"how deep could that water be? 2 ft?" -rickyb2001
What, you can't read? The story tells you that "The SUV was sinking quickly in the 25-foot deep lake.". What part of "25-foot deep" do you not understand?
Put down the weed
rickyb, rickyb
and learn to read
rickyb, rickyb
#36 Posted by OP on July 4, 2008 at 3:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
proof starbucks does save lives.
#37 Posted by legalcitizen on July 4, 2008 at 5:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I happen to know Terry and he is truly one of the nicest men I have met in Naples. He deserves huge credit as does Mr. Cameron... so SHAME on the FOOL who criticizes---you probably would have stood there and let him drown.
Terry and Mr. Cameron know where they stand in the Lord's eyes and that is all that matters. Not to mention they have a very grateful man who is alive today because of two brave men.
#38 Posted by laney103 on July 8, 2008 at 11:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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