Couple killed after going over Rainbow Falls (Hilo, Wailuku: condo, hotel)

[ginmqi]

Son looked on in horror as parents were swept away in Hilo river - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

HILO, HAWAII (HawaiiNewsNow) -
The son of a California couple that was swept away in Hilo's Wailuku River last Saturday says police believe a body recently found along the coast appears to be his stepdad, 61-year old George Novinger.

"They (police) said they found a body. I asked if it fit the description of George and they said yes," said Joseph Harmes, the couple's son.

Harmes says he was visiting Hawaii with his parents and girlfriend, who he was planning on proposing to the day of the accident.

He says George and his mom -- 61-year-old Gladys Novinger -- wanted to take them to a special place about 100 yards above Rainbow Falls.

"The waterfall behind Rainbow Falls is where my mom and George kissed after they got married. But it didn't look safe so I said, 'No I'm not going. Mama, don't do it,'" said Harmes.

Harmes says he and his girlfriend hung back as his parents swam towards the waterfall.

He says that's when the couple got into trouble.

"They got sucked in by the current after they got behind the waterfall. They appeared a couple hundred feet down. Their hands up and sinking again," he recalled.

Fire officials say they found Gladys Novinger in the pool below Rainbow Falls, unconscious with no pulse. She was pronounced dead at Hilo Medical Center.

However, George was still missing and severe weather conditions hampered the search.

On Friday, almost a week later, a group of kids discovered a body near the Wainaku Executive Center, close to three miles from the falls.

"I'm sad for him and his family, but at least they found him and at least there will be some closure," said Ed Olson, owner of Wainaku Executive Center.

The Novingers were known as a prominent couple in the San Diego area and they ran a boutique hotel with Harmes.

Harmes says he'll miss their daily interactions the most.

"I was blessed with the opportunity to see them almost every single day because we own a business together. Catching those random hugs in the hallway, always seeing my mom's smile, or George coming into my office to crack a joke," he said.

While they were here in Hawaii, Harmes says he remembers one of the last phone calls with his mom -- one that continues to bring him comfort.

"I said, 'Hey Mama, how you doing?' Her reply was always, 'I'm in heaven. We're in heaven.' I'm always going to remember that. That they were in heaven there in Hawaii," said Harmes.

This was Rainbow Falls just recently after some very heavy rains in the Hilo area:

[whtviper1]

Not sure how this is newsworthy in the sense there are about 70 accidental drownings per year in Hawaii - of which snorkeling is the most common activity for which drownings occur.

[ginmqi]

Dang, that is alot of drownings! Maybe more news of this deadly phenomenon may help people reduce fatalities but guess I doubt it as people will do what they do and ignore warnings and do reckless things....

[whtviper1]

Personally - I think there isn't enough personal accountability (for which many pay the ultimate price), people need to know their own limitations on swimming ability, physical issues, and just plain common sense.

Hawaii Tourists Drown At Nine Times The Rate Of Locals

[hotzcatz]

I'd been wondering why they'd tried crossing the Wailuku while it was in flood. A flooded river is no safe place, but I thought perhaps they'd slipped. Apparently, they'd been swimming in it instead.

If it's not in flood, it can be a relatively safe place to swim, providing you're not worried about leptospirosis, of course so I'd not recommend it. However, what with all these rains we've been having lately - a flooded stream is no safe place. Brown roiling water, what kind of compulsion is there to swim in that? BUT (and this may be one of the reasons we lose so many tourists to hazardous conditions) they were only going to be there for a limited time so if they didn't swim then, they'd not go at all. They were trying to go out and recreate a first kiss, so they went even though the conditions weren't good. I'd think between being decades older and a flooded river, a kiss on the bank would have been close enough, but apparently not.

It is a reoccurring theme you hear when asking about why folks did what they did. They're only going to be here for a limited time and it's a 'once in a lifetime' vacation so therefore they are going to (fill in the blank with whatever hazardous thing they did that landed them in the hospital - or worse). I'd expect most tourists have much more common sense in their own home towns, but Hawaii is seen as a safe place so folks seem to discount the possibility of danger. Or maybe danger doesn't happen on vacations, I dunno.

Seems an awful harsh result, though, for a couple just trying to recapture a moment. It is very sad sad for their them as well as their families.

[67Cam]

I lived in Monterey and learned to Scuba dive there. There is one dive spot, Monastery Beach, that is a really nice place to dive. When the weather and conditions permit. It is a bay that faces open ocean and has an extremely deep underwater canyon that terminates very close to the beach, so the waves build and break at the last minute. You don't dive there when the swells are up. Except divers from out of town and who have limited time in the area make poor decisions. That beach has earned the nickname Mortuary Beach. Looks like it's the same anywhere you go...


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8h9q7BgGgi8

[steiconi]

People do seem to be downright stupid about swimming in unsafe areas.
They see other people swimming, or read about it in a guidebook, so they think it's safe.


To be fair, I've been downright stupid about swimming in unsafe areas, too. But lucky.

[ginmqi]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Personally - I think there isn't enough personal accountability (for which many pay the ultimate price), people need to know their own limitations on swimming ability, physical issues, and just plain common sense.

Hawaii Tourists Drown At Nine Times The Rate Of Locals

Was just at Rainbow Falls again last weekend.

Some tourists and idiocy just go hand in hand as shown here:


I was here for just about 15min and there were MULTIPLE people climbing down there and around that area right next to the fall.

[Buckeye77]

My condolences to the Novinger family.

[Mathguy]

All it takes is one to slip and the other to try to help.

RIP