Quick actions by road workers and a Lake Texoma fishing guide helped bring a woman safely to shore after she jumped from the Willis BridgeconnectingOklahoma and Texas on Oct. 12. A woman was rescued from Lake Texoma Monday evening after jumping from the Willis Bridge on U.S. Highway 377, thanks in part to the quick actions of a road construction worker, his crew and a passing boater who helped bring her to safety.
According to Marshall County Sheriff Donald Yow, emergency dispatchers received a call during the early evening hours of Oct. 12 reporting that a woman jumped from the bridge. The woman, whose identity is being withheld for investigative purposes, was found alive in the water and brought to shore on the Texas side of Lake Texoma. Jacob Jennings, who was working with a road construction crew on the bridge, witnessed the incident and immediately took action.
Jennings said he saw the woman walking across the bridge when a man pulled up beside her. Shortly afterward, the woman jumped into the lake, prompting the man to attempt to jump in after her.
Jennings intervened and stopped the man from entering the water. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, he called on his construction crew to lower extension cords toward the water in an effort to assist the woman.
The workers also flagged down a passing boat, seeking help from someone already on the lake. That was when Denny Kenedy, with Mojo Stripper Guide Service, became involved in the rescue.
Kenedy was traveling to service his vessel when he was flagged down by the construction crew and asked to assist. Kenedy provided life jackets and helped bring the woman aboard his boat.
According to his account, the woman resisted attempts to help her, and those involved had to physically pull her onto the vessel to get her outofthewater.Onceshewas aboard, Kenedy transported her to a boat launch on the Texas side of the lake, where emergency personnel were waiting.
The Marshall County Sheriff's Office, Willis-Powell Volunteer Fire Department and Marshall County Ambulance Service responded to the incident. The woman was taken by ambulance to Madill Alliance Hospital, where medical personnel determined she had sustained no injuries.
After she was medically cleared, the Marshall County Sheriff's Office transported her to another location for further evaluation. In a statement following the incident, Sheriff Yow said the woman does not live in Marshall County but resides just across the bridge in Texas.
The sheriff's office reported it had received no further information about her condition after she was taken for evaluation. The incident highlights the importance of people being willing to act when someone is in danger.
Jennings and the construction crew worked to get assistance to the woman, while Kenedy used his boat and safety equipment to help bring her out of the lake. Without their quick response and the coordination of those at the scene, the outcomecouldhavebeenvery different.
Sheriff Yow also used the incident to remind residents that help is available for people experiencing a crisis. “If you need help please call 988 to talk to someone,” Yow said in the department's release.
He added that anyone needing assistance can contact the Marshall County Sheriff's Office at (580) 7952510, option 1, for help getting connected with resources. The sheriff's office closed its statement by expressing hopethatthewomanreceives the support she needs.