Kenny Truong was confirmed dead after he leapt into the water at Tamolitch Falls in Willamette National Forest. The popular spot is also known as Blue Pool, a place famous for its bright blue water and dangerous cold temperatures.
Linn County Undersheriff Micah Smith said police were alerted after a man jumped in and then began struggling while trying to swim toward the shoreline.
“He was admirable in the truest sense of the word,” the tribute said. “A bright soul that this world needed more of. And losing him has left a hole in our hearts that words honestly can’t fill.”
Truong had been studying business at Wichita State University, according to his LinkedIn page, ABC affiliate KAKE reports.
That detail is part of what makes the warning so urgent. Blue Pool can look calm from above, but the water is cold enough to overwhelm someone soon after they enter.
They added: “Witnesses describe him struggling as he swam toward shore, before submerging.”
“Despite the best efforts of those at Tamolitch Falls who tried to help him, and the first responders who arrived in response to the 911 call, Kenny did not survive.”
In its statement, the Linn County Sheriff’s Office said the danger is made worse because the area has ‘minimal to no cell phone reception’. If someone gets hurt at Blue Pool or on the route in, officials said ‘it can take up to several hours from the moment of injury to reach a hospital’.
That warning matters for anyone planning a hiking trail visit in a remote area. A scenic spot can still be hard for emergency crews to reach when the terrain, water, and cell service all work against rescuers.
Why Blue Pool can be so dangerous
Blue Pool attracts visitors because it looks clear, still, and almost unreal from the trail. But the same water that makes it look so striking can be a serious risk.
Cold water can affect the body before a person has time to think through what is happening. Breathing can change, muscles can tighten, and swimming back to shore can become much harder than expected.
That is why officials often warn people not to treat places like Blue Pool as normal swimming holes. The danger is not only the jump itself; it is what the body does in the first moments after hitting very cold water.
In 2017, Mikala Marquis, 19, of Eugene, lost her footing on a hiking trail near Blue Pool and fell 80 feet down a steep embankment. She suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital after a multi-agency rescue.
In 2018, 18-year-old Sarah Grace Shepler had to be carried out of the area on a stretcher by firefighters after she fell on a steep trail leading to the pool and broke her ankle.
The sheriff’s office said the water temperature can drop as low as 37F, which is ‘cold enough to cause immediate physical shock upon entry’.
Cold water shock can make muscles seize and can cause a person to lose control of their breathing and limbs. That means even a strong swimmer can be at risk once the shock sets in.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institute in the UK advises people experiencing cold water shock to try to relax, control their breathing, and float on their back until the first effects pass. That can take around a minute.
The advice sounds simple, but it can be hard to follow when panic hits. That is why officials say knowing the risk before entering cold water is far safer than trying to react after something goes wrong.
