Man saves child and pregnant mother from river after car plunges into water

President Alexander Stubb has awarded Finland’s lifesaving medal to six people this year, including Jari Lampela of Rovaniemi.

Lampela rescued a mother and her child after their car slid into the Kemijoki River at the Ossauskoski rapids in Tervola a year ago. The mother, who was pregnant at the time, had tried to stop the car on a sloped parking area but failed, and the vehicle rolled into the river.

Lampela was passing by with his wife when she pointed out the car in the water. He saw the woman and child clinging to the rear window. The pair had escaped through the back door but were struggling in the current.

Lampela stopped his car, removed his clothes, and swam to them in the flowing river while his wife called for help. He brought both to shore. The strong current could have carried the car toward a nearby dam.

After the rescue, the mother and child warmed up in Lampela’s camper. The mother later said she had thought death was coming; her young daughter replied, “Yes, and here they are!” Lampela joked they were the better kind of collectors.

Lampela said he feels great honor in receiving the medal but believes his wife deserves equal recognition. He also noted the incident underscores the importance of swimming skills—he earned a swimming instructor’s certificate over 50 years ago, and this was the first time he needed it in a real emergency.

It later emerged the mother was pregnant during the rescue. She gave birth to a healthy baby earlier this year, and the child who was in the car now attends swimming lessons and is not afraid of water.

Other recipients of this year’s lifesaving medal include Antti Ovaskainen of Imatra, who rescued a person from a burning car; Marko Karppinen of Oulu, who saved two young men from drowning near a power plant; Juuso Juuri of Hämeenlinna and Vili Hyötyläinen of Akaa, who helped people caught in eddies; and Tuukka Rytkönen of Rovaniemi, who pulled an unconscious man from the water.