
"I've Got You, Don't Let Go" — Thomas Vander Woude, the Father Who Became His Son's Foundation
In 2008, a 66-year-old Virginia father jumped into a septic tank to save his son with Down syndrome, holding the young man above the toxic water on his own shoulders until rescuers arrived. Thomas Vander Woude gave his last breath so his son Joseph could keep breathing.
Oct 1, 2026