172 For the Fallen: First Sgt. Karl Kelley – Indiana DNR

In this National Police Week memorial episode, Wayne sits down with two men who lived through an unimaginable moment when a training exercise turned into a fight for survival. Retired Indiana DNR Lieutenant Colonel Terry Hyndman and First Sgt. Tom Jahn revisit the day they lost their friend and teammate, First Sgt. Karl Kelley, in a swift water incident that still shapes them decades later. It’s a difficult listen at times – but an important one – and a reminder of what service and brotherhood truly mean.

“It is not how these officers died that made them heroes; it is how they lived.” ~ National Law Enforcement Memorial, Washington, DC

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Here’s what we discuss:

Why Warden’s Watch dedicates a yearly episode to the fallen during Police Week
Remembering Karl Kelley and the legacy he left behind
“How do you ever repay a debt so great?”
The early days of Indiana’s swift water rescue program
“We were wet behind the ears.”
Building a nationally respected training program from the ground up
What low-head dams are, and why they’re called “drowning machines.”
The deceptive danger: “It looks calm… but it’s a washing machine underneath.”
Training for worst-case scenarios in real-world environments
The setup at Williams Dam – a powerful and unpredictable system
The two-boat tether rescue technique explained
When everything goes wrong in seconds
Losing engine power and being pulled toward the dam
“We knew we were in trouble.”
First Sgt. Kelley moving in without hesitation to save his teammates
Multiple rescue attempts before the final, fatal approach
“Just 20 feet in front of us, I remember his boat going over.”
Two boats and four officers trapped in the boil
“We fought to survive for 20 minutes in that dam.”
The relentless force of the dam, flipping boats, tearing equipment apart
Fighting to stay alive in conditions you cannot control
Terry’s perspective from shore and the race to respond
The last-ditch move: turning a boat into a “sea anchor.”
The moment the current finally gives way and releases them
Despite the best gear and training, “those dams don’t care.”
Karl passes away days later
Survivor’s guilt: “He died for me… what do you do with that?”
“I didn’t want to survive after that. I didn’t think I could go on.”
Finding purpose and honoring sacrifice after tragedy
How shared trauma connects officers across time and distance
Supporting another officer years later who lived the same nightmare
“If you’ve walked in those shoes… you become their light.”
Who Karl was – mentor, leader, and quiet influence
“You don’t always have to swing for the fence” – leadership advice that stuck
A devoted family man who valued life beyond the job
The moment at the funeral – “Don’t quit.”
Choosing to carry on and honour the sacrifice
“We can’t repay it… but we can choose to live better. We choose to work better, do better.”