A familiar fishing trip ends with a grateful ride home
Bill Von Herbulis was back at his favorite fishing spot the day after a frightening fall into the water near his New Smyrna Beach, Florida, home.
“I was back the next day,” the 72-year-old said. His wife, Lori, wasn’t surprised. “He doesn’t miss,” she said with a laugh.
On September 27, Von Herbulis had taken his usual trip to the marina in his electric wheelchair, towing a wagon of fishing and crabbing gear. After an uneventful evening on the dock, he packed up to head home. At about 7:30 p.m., his wagon struck a dock box, his wheelchair tipped, and he fell into the water. His cellphone fell in with him.
Von Herbulis kept his composure. He swam to the surface and caught hold of an electrical conduit pipe between the boat slips. The high tide put it within reach, but no one was nearby to hear his first calls for help. He held on and kept calling.
Eventually, an angler arriving at the marina heard him. Unable to pass through a locked gate, the man called 911. Lori later described the stranger as “our angel.”
At about 9 p.m., Sgt. William Leven and Deputy Boris Rodriguez reached the marina and found Von Herbulis struggling to stay above the water. Leven removed his gun belt, entered the water with a buoy and brought it to him, navigating around oyster shells and barnacle-covered dock supports. He also retrieved a bag of Von Herbulis’s belongings. With help from bystanders, the deputies brought Von Herbulis up the nearby stairs and onto the dock.
Von Herbulis, who has been unable to stand or walk since a neck injury 19 years ago, declined medical attention. Once back in his wheelchair, he headed home. Leven is set to receive a Lifesaving Award for his actions.
The rescue took place in waters where Von Herbulis knows sharks are present: he has caught them while fishing there, including one he estimated at about seven feet long. He was fortunate to come away without injury, and grateful to the people who helped him.
For Von Herbulis, the experience did not diminish the joy of a daily routine he loves. By the next day, he was fishing again.
