Emotional South Lyon Mayor Recovers From Boogie Board Accident, Remembers Man Who Died Saving Him

SOUTH LYON (WWJ) South Lyon Mayor Ted Wallace says he's a changed man after he was swept up in a riptide while boogie boarding in St. Croix over the weekend.

A 70-year-old Danish tourist died trying to rescue Wallace; Another island man eventually saved Wallace's life, but couldn't capture the Danish man, who had disappeared under the water.

Wallace broke down discussing it with WWJ's Sandra McNeill:

"His arm was reaching out for me, and then they still took several tries, they finally dragged me onto this rock and then onto the next; He said 'We've got to get higher.,' so he dragged me up."

While struggling in the water, which was swirling and sucking him under over and over again, Wallace said he was literally hanging on for his life for about 10 minutes.

He ended up suffering only scrapes and bruises, but he's overwhelmed by emotion when remembering the two men willing to put their lives in danger to save his.

Wallace says he took his St. Croix rescuer out to dinner, but he can't stop thinking about the Danish man who died trying to save him.

He met the victim's widow at the shore. "I'm so sorry, I can't even say he had last words, she said 'that's OK, that's good enough for me," Wallace said, remembering what he told her.

The mayor says he's a changed man and can't wait to return home to hug his family. He'll never boogie board again.

"(I'm going to) love people more than ever," Wallace said. "There's no need to (have) hatred. People reach out to try to save you and they lose their lives? I'm a different person, I can tell you that right now."