A 21-year-old Wichita State University student drowned last Friday at a popular outdoor hiking spot in Oregon. Kenny Truong was visiting Tamolitch Falls, commonly known as Blue Pool, in central Oregon when he died.
Dispatchers received a call before 9:00 p.m. Friday that a man had jumped into the Blue Pool and was unable to get out of the near-freezing water.
The popular spot, about 70 miles east of Eugene, is a destination, largely because of the water’s vibrant blue color. It’s also treacherous, with the water only averaging about 37 degrees Fahrenheit, cold enough to cause immediate shock.
Witnesses saw Truong struggle while swimming toward the shore before he disappeared beneath the surface.
Adding to the danger at the Blue Pool is that the remote location has little-to-no cell-phone service, and there are no hospitals in the vicinity.
