Nearly two years after pulling a boy from the Columbia River, two Multnomah County sheriff’s deputies got to see the ending they rarely get: the child they rescued was back on the water, smiling and riding with them. River Patrol deputies Rodney Nuzum and Matt Lucas reunited with Samuel Wilkerson during a Wednesday ride-along, turning a frantic rescue into a remarkably calm summer outing.
The emergency began on July 29, 2024, near Portland’s James Gleason Boat Ramp, when Lucas spotted Samuel fall into the river. According to a post from the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, Samuel was not wearing a life jacket and struggled to hang onto the dock as the current pulled at him while his parents called for help. Lucas maneuvered the patrol boat through challenging conditions, Nuzum grabbed Samuel, and the deputies secured the boat before bringing him over the railing to safety. The sheriff’s office said Samuel and his mother, Teresa, later joined the deputies for a Columbia River ride-along, and Nuzum and Lucas received the agency’s lifesaving award for bravery.
The rescue became a reunion
The encounter gave the deputies a chance to see Samuel beyond the split-second emergency that first brought them together. It also gave the family a chance to thank the two men in person, this time without a dangerous current and a rescue boat between them.
The assignment is exactly the kind of work the county’s River Patrol Unit is built for. The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office says the unit provides public-safety services across 110 miles of waterways, including the Columbia, Willamette and Sandy rivers, responding to emergencies, investigating accidents and providing boating-safety education.
A feel-good ending with a practical warning
Samuel’s rescue also lands as Portland-area families continue heading to the water for summer recreation. Metro’s information for the boat ramp warns that rivers can bring strong currents, underwater hazards and dramatic temperature changes, and urges visitors to use properly fitted life jackets and keep a close eye on children near the water.
The ramp also has a kiosk where visitors can borrow life jackets for free, according to Metro. It is a practical detail behind the feel-good reunion: on rivers, a quiet afternoon can change quickly, and the right gear can help keep a close call from becoming a tragedy.
