Updated: 04/26/2009 11:43 PM KSTP.com |  Print Story
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By: Elena Kibasova, Web Producer
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| Man dies after storm sweeps him into Mississippi River |
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 A man died after a storm washed him into the Mississippi River on Sunday.
Ian Talty, 30, of Woodbury and a 29-year-old friend were photographing a tunnel on the St. Paul side of the Mississippi River south of the Marshall Avenue bridge when a thunderstorm erupted, filling the tunnel with rainwater and sweeping the men into the river, St. Paul police say.
Talty’s friend was able to make it to shore on his own, but Talty was not. Fire department rescue crews and paramedics were called to the scene just after 10 a.m.
Before they arrived, a Saint Paul police officer and two University of St. Thomas students from a rowing club across the river rescued Talty and brought him to shore. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center where he died.
"It's so unfair in so many ways, it's just indescribable, he had so much ahead of him," said Nicole Talty, Ian's wife.
Ian was accepted to show his photos at a gallery in February. Now, his wife can't believe how sudden his life stopped.
"It's hard because at any moment I want to tell him how my day was today, like he would be the person that I would want to talk to about that, and I don't have that now," Nicole said.
Nicole says her husband of seven years would want her and her son to look forward.
St. Paul Police say walking in sewer tunnels is not only dangerous, but it's also illegal. Police are still reviewing the case.
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