A visit to Oregon’s famed “Blue Pool” ended in tragedy after a young tourist died following a jump into its dangerously cold waters.
Kenny Truong, 21, had been at Tamolitch Falls with friends when he leapt into the vivid blue pool, a popular destination that authorities say can be far more hazardous than it appears.
The Linn County Sheriff’s Office said dispatchers received a 911 call shortly before 9 p.m. Friday reporting that the young man was having trouble getting out of the water.
Witnesses told officials that Truong, who was from Kansas, appeared to struggle as he tried to swim back to shore before disappearing beneath the surface. Emergency crews responded to the area, but he could not be saved.
“Tamolitch Falls is a breathtaking destination visited by people from throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond,” the sheriff’s department said.
“It is also a place that has taken lives before and will take lives again if visitors do not understand what they are facing.”
The cliffs around the Blue Pool range from about 10 to 60 feet high, while the water temperature averages just 37 degrees Fahrenheit—cold enough to trigger immediate physical shock.
Authorities also cautioned that limited cell service in the area can make it difficult to quickly contact first responders during an emergency.
Kenny Truong, 21, a business student at Wichita State University, died on Friday after jumping into Oregon’s Blue Pool
The Blue Pool at Tamolitch Falls is a stunning yet extremely dangerous tourist attraction. Officials have warned visitors not to swim in the frigid water or jump off the cliffs
Officials said Truong was visiting the area with friends from Kansas. A fundraiser has been set up for his family
Truong was a business student at Wichita State University and was set to graduate in October, according to his LinkedIn profile.
‘Kenny had this fire in him. He wanted to succeed so badly, not just for himself, but for every single person he cared about,’ one of his friends described him in the description of a GoFundMe.
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Truong was praised for his positivity and warmth. ‘That’s a rare gift, and Kenny gave it freely to everyone he met,’ the fundraiser continued.
‘It didn’t matter who you were or where you came from, if you were in Kenny’s circle, you were loved, and you knew it.’
The proceeds from the GoFundMe will be given to Truong’s family to support funeral expenses.
The hike to the Blue Pool has been described as challenging because of its ‘rough, rocky terrain’ by the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
The Forest Service has also stated that emergency responders may take hours to arrive if needed.
One of Truong’s friends described him as a loving and positive person. A GoFundMe said he ‘wanted to succeed so badly, not just for himself, but for every single person he cared about’
Tributes have poured in for the young university student. Truong’s friends are raising money online to support his family following his sudden death
Officials have previously advocated banning swimming in the area following multiple rescues. The Blue Pool also has limited cell service for contacting emergency responders
The Blue Pool has plagued emergency responders for years. In 2013, a University of Oregon tennis player named Alex Rovello died after diving 60 feet into the Blue Pool.
Two years later, a photographer fell 45 feet into shallow waters and died after hitting his head.
However, swimming in the Blue Pool is not prohibited. Following a string of rescues in 2023, officials proposed a ban on swimming, but the rule was never enacted.
‘Once people go there, there’s no way to control what they do. I don’t know that people understand how serious the dangers are,’ Darren Cross, McKenzie River district manager for the Willamette National Forest, told Oregon Live at the time.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the GoFundMe organizers for additional comment.
