Awesome - Diver Who Uncovers A Lost Camera Is Left Speechless By The Footage On It
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In the depths of Foster Falls State Park, there are beautiful waterfalls that cascade into pools from 60-foot cliffs. Lurking at the bottom of those pools are lost treasures that few people will ever find. See, visitors often lose things in the falls, and when those items sink down into the murky depths, they're usually lost forever. But when one adventurer set out in search of those missing objects, what he found instead sent chills down his spine.
Born Adventurer
Rich Aloha was fresh off his 27th birthday when he set off for Foster Falls. See, Rich was an avid hiker and diver who loved filming his adventures. This trip, though, was going to be different.
YouTube Star
Back in 2009, Rich launched a YouTube channel for his adventures. He gained a following for his beautiful footage of places like Wekiwa Springs State Park. He even brings his cat along for the ride!
Tennessee Trip
But in 2019, Rich wanted to try something a little different. He headed up to Chattanooga, Tennessee, with some scuba gear to explore Foster Falls. It seemed like just another adventure at the time.
Scenic Swimming Hole
A part of South Cumberland State Park, the 60-foot waterfalls are a popular destination for swimmers looking to cool off and snap a few pics. And because the pools are so deep, visitors lose things all the time.
Looking for Loot
"I might be finding a drone, or an iPhone, maybe a GoPro," Rich exclaimed at the beginning of his video. "And if I’m really lucky, I might even find some cash." With that, he took the plunge into the murky depths.
Underwater
Rich dove into the water near the fall. At first, the murky waters seemed to be devoid of any kind of treasure, but then Rich spotted something out of the corner of his eye.
Nice Bracelet
There was a small black-and-gold bracelet lying there among the rocks. Rich took his new prize and placed it on his wrist before moving forward; there was more treasure to be found.
Gold Rush
Next, Rich spotted a ring — maybe a wedding ring? — before diving even further. After locating a pair of sunglasses and a discarded turtle shell, he saw something much more valuable.
Lost Camera
There, lying among the rocks at the bottom of the pool, was a camera. Excited, Rich snatched up the GoPro and returned to the surface, eager to see if there was any footage on it.
Old Footage
"We’ll review the footage and see if I can’t get that back to the rightful owners," said Rich, closing out the video. "But this is definitely one for the books."
A Tragic Story
As Rich left Foster Falls, he ran into a park ranger who shared some interesting information with him. It seemed a man named Richard Ragland had drowned there two years earlier. Rich's heart sank.
Final Moments
Was there any connection to the items he found and Richard Ragland's death? When he turned on the camera, he was dumbstruck. "I was going through the footage and sure enough, I just said 'Oh my god, this is the guy,'" he recalled.
A Fateful Trip
Slowly, Rich uncovered Richard Ragland's backstory. He had grown up in Georgia and later served in the National Guard. Later, he found his calling as an actor. Fate intervened on a road trip with some friends in 2017.
Going In
Richard and his friends stopped at Foster Falls for a bit of exploring and when they came across the falls, they had to stop for a swim. That's when Richard pulled out his camera and started filming.
Struggling to Swim
The situation quickly got worse. Richard was getting pulled beneath the surface and struggling to breathe. One of his friends tried to pull him up out of the water, but it was too late.
Too Late
They tried to revive Richard with CPR, but the effort was hopeless. Paramedics quickly showed up to take him to a nearby hospital, but once he had arrived, they pronounced him dead.
Last Words
So, when Rich found the video of those final moments, he was heartbroken listening to some of Richard's last words: "You start to not take your life for granted and not allow people to manage your life," Richard said. "I didn’t want anybody to manage my life."
Reaching Out
Troubled, Rich made a bold choice: he located Richard's parents to show them what he'd found. When they got the phone call, it must have brought some small comfort that they might finally have some answers into that unthinkable tragedy.
Precious Memories
"The SD card was intact, all the footage was there. It was like an out of body experience," said Richard's mother. "What we’ve seen so far is Rich being Rich, living life to the fullest."
Above and Beyond
Richard's mother was also grateful that Rich had sought them out: "For him to go through the effort to do his research, make numerous phone calls – he didn’t give up until he got in touch with us and that means the world to us."
Though it captured a tragedy, the footage of their son brought some closure to Richard's parents. They weren't sure if they wanted to watch it at first, but they knew revisiting the past was sometimes necessary to heal. The opportunity would've have been possible without Rich Aloha. Then again, a stranger's camera can bring plenty of trouble.
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