Friend drowned in the Moyie River

March 11, 2012

John Thole on Saturday morning did what he loved to do on his days off; drive his dogs down to Bare Ass Beach for a run and a walk along the Moyie. When he didn't come home as usual, his wife, Yolanda, went looking, and found his truck parked in its usual spot, his two dogs inside. John was no where to be found, and Yolanda spent hours searching before calling for help. She called John's co-workers, Jim and Brenda Ball and Mike Bradley and his wife. At about 5:35 p.m. Saturday, they called the sheriff's office to report a possible drowning. Sheriff's deputies, Boundary Search and Dive Rescue and the Sheriff's Posse were activated at about 5:35 p.m., and they worked until, at around 3:42 a.m., darkness and treacherous terrain forced them to back off for safety. On Sunday morning, Jim and Brenda were at Yolanda's house early, and the three of them set out looking as dawn broke; Yolanda and Brenda working the bank one way, Jimmy the other. Yolanda and Brenda found him, lying in about two-feet of water in the middle of the Moyie River. "He must have slipped and fallen," Jim said. The sheriff's office confirms that the body of John Thole, 45, was found at 8:10 a.m.; at 11 a.m. he was recovered. Investigation continues. "This is a sad thing," Jim said. "I've known John for about 10 years and I've worked with him ... he's a friend." In addition to his wife, Yolanda, John leaves behind two teenage daughters. Their landlords, Jim and Brenda, are doing what neighbors in Boundary County do when tragedy strikes, leading the effort to rally support and solace. "They're family," he says.