Father's anguish as he saves wife, not son

[Are_grits_groceries]

A man has revealed how he abandoned a bid to rescue his teenage son to save his screaming wife after their car plunged into a river in New Zealand. Stacy Horton rescued his partner Vanessa, 35, as their 13-year-old boy Silva drowned in the Whanganui River on North Island.

The father said he arrived at the scene minutes after the family's Mazda MPV station wagon skidded down a grassy bank, over a 10-metre cliff and into the water.

He heard his wife screaming in the darkness and could see his son's friend and the family dog scrambling up the bank. But Silva was trapped inside the submerged car.

Mr Horton said he had tried to dive down to the vehicle, which was pointing engine first into the water with the tail lights shining more than 3ft below the surface. "I tried to get down and get him but I couldn't - it was just too deep. And Vanessa was going under," the father said.

"I made a call to pull my wife to safety. I looked back and I could see the tail lights but it was too far and I couldn't get him. Instead of going down and risking my life as well as my wife and son's, I chose to take V(anessa) back and sat on the shore praying. It was all I could do."

The emergency services were also unable to rescue the boy from inside the vehicle. Police spokeswoman Kim Perks said it was a very tough call for Mr Horton. "I would certainly not have wanted to be in his shoes," she said.

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I cannot imagine what he went through and what he's going through now.

[hlthe2b]

1. I hope he gets the help he needs to reconcile that he had no choice

and that he could not have saved his son... What a horrendous situation...

[Behind the Aegis]

2. Horrible situation.

Of course, my mother would have killed my father for that choice.

[Nay]

8. Yeah, I'd kill my husband for making that choice. But it does sound like

the son was way out of reach.

[seabeyond]

12. nu uh. i would trust hubbys judgment and mourn loss of son, and support hubby

with his extra burden

[Booster]

3. That poor man.

[Libertas1776]

4. I can't blame the poor man for having to make

a split second decision. However, if it was me in the passenger seat, I'd want the kid to be the first priority; worry about me later.

[Xithras]

6. Indeed my wife would never forgive me for that. Nor I her.

If the choice is between us and the kids, save the kids. I couldn't live with myself knowing that one of my kids died so I could live.

[Arugula Latte]

11. Agree. Save my kids first.

Even if I were the easier rescue, try to save the kids first. I wouldn't want to live anyway if my kids didn't make it.

On edit: I am not faulting this guy in the least. He was in a TERRIBLE situation, and did the best he could.

[fl_dem]

5. what a trajedy!

I'm afraid the would'ves, should'ves and what if's will forever haunt him .

[damntexdem]

7. Not a real choice -- save someone he could versus low likelihood.

But what a horrible dilemma nevertheless.

[liberal_at_heart]

9. This is so tragic

No one should have to make that decision. I would hope though that my husband would chose to save our child.

[Raine]

10. Poor guy

but it sounds like the kid was too far and he really did the sensible thing by saving the person that he could instead of losing them both.

[niyad]

13. how unbelievably sad--my prayers go out to him and his family.

[malaise]

14. How sad

:cry: :cry: