Hero dad-of-three leapt into river 'without hesitation' to help save 80-year-old woman

Hero dad-of-three leapt into river 'without hesitation' to help save 80-year-old woman EXCLUSIVE: Dad-of-three Samer Jouha, a carpenter who moved to Britain under a resettlement scheme, jumped in a river to save an 80-year-old woman who fell into a river in Evesham, Worcestershire A Syrian refugee has been hailed a hero after he leapt into a river to save an elderly woman's life. Dad-of-three Samer Jouha, a carpenter, was on his way back from a battle re-enactment near his home in Evesham, Worcestershire on August 1 when 80-year-old Wendy Snell suddenly fell into the River Avon. After hearing a "really loud drop", the 51-year-old jumped in to rescue her without "any hesitation", swimming over and pulling her to the riverbank, his son Mo said. She was eventually brought to safety with the help of a Maritime Volunteer Service rescue boat, which was training in the area at the time. The Snell family met with Jouhas the following day to thank him for his bravery, while a GoFundMe page was set up by local councillor Emma Nishigaki to help pay for replacement car keys, mobile phone and wallet that were ruined when he got into the water. Describing his dad's heroic rescue, Mo, 20, told the Mirror: "My dad was walking out the Battle of Evesham, just having a look around, when he heard a really loud drop. "There was a kid running to the water, but he was standing there in shock. So as soon as my dad saw the kid, my dad ran over to the steps by the river and he saw the lady with her arm out. My dad, without thinking, just jumped in there with all his stuff just to rescue her." Reflecting on the split-second decision he made, Samer said: "I didn't know how deep it was at the time. I didn't reach the middle - on the side it was about a metre-and-a-half deep - and I pulled her from her leg until I got her in front of me." After a volunteer rescue boat arrived to help pull Wendy onto dry land, Samer ensured she was safe with medics before quietly walking home in his soaking wet clothes. The following day, a grateful Wendy and her son Paul visited Samer's house to personally thank him for his selfless actions, while the local community rallied to replace the phone he ruined in the water. Paul said later: "We could hear a commotion 50 metres along the river bank - people panicking because someone had fallen in the river. It was my elderly mother, she had gone for a short walk 10mins early. By the time we had got to her, along with another passer by, they were already lifting her onto the bank. This amazing man, Samer Jouha, is the very definition of a hero who doesn’t wear a cape." Samer was given a new Samsung Galaxy S26 by the manager of the local branch of Currys on Friday. Fresh car keys were meanwhile sorted by his son Mo, who works in a garage - leaving just a replacement wallet to buy. Originally from Damascus, Samer's family fled war-torn Syria in 2011 and spent several difficult years living in Lebanon before finding safety in Britain in 2019. They were brought to Evesham through the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme, and now proudly consider the Worcestershire town to be their home. Samar said: "I want thank this country because it has protected me and protected my children, we came from war. Everyone has wanted to help. My children didn't speak the language, now they speak perfect English. "When you see somebody in need, go help them straight away, no hesitation, it doesn't matter what skin colour or what religion are they ,or where they’re from, or anything. All of us are humans and whenever you see somebody in need of help, just do it, do not look at their background." General Manager of Currys’ Evesham store, Sam Nobes, said: "We were incredibly moved when we heard about Samer’s bravery. He didn’t think twice about jumping into the river to help someone in danger, and in doing so he lost his own phone. Replacing it is a small gesture, but we hope this new Samsung Galaxy and a few extra bits of kit show just how much the community appreciates what he did."