Before Daniel Joshua Farris of Yuba City made his fatal leap into a frigid pool below Beale Falls, "he told me how much he loved me and hugged me," his wife of five months said Monday.

“I'll be right back," were among his last words, Jessica Farris said.

Nevada County Sheriff's Department divers recovered Farris' body Sunday about 40 feet below the surface of the pool in the Spenceville Wildlife Area. The 22-year-old had gone there the prior afternoon with Jessica and her sister, Nicole Going.

Jessica, also 22, described her husband as "an adrenaline junkie" and a bit of a showoff. He lived for the adrenaline highs, she said.

According to Going, Farris jumped into the pool from an 80-foot cliff and "belly-flopped." She said he either broke his neck or "got the wind knocked out of him" and never surfaced.

His body was recovered with the use of a submerging vehicle which can find people or evidence for police underwater, according to Nevada County Sheriff Keith Royal.



The vehicle brings more safety for the department’s dive team, which can locate an object or person with sonar or a camera, and can latch on with a mechanical arm.

“If you have somebody deep in the water, you don’t want to send a diver down because of decompression issues,” Royal said.



An autopsy will be performed on Farris’ body for the exact cause of death at the Placer County Coroner’s Office, according to Nevada County Deputy Coroner Cathy Valceschini.

An autopsy will also be performed on Mollie Taplin, 31, of Nevada City, who was found floating in the South Yuba River Saturday near Edwards Crossing.

Although the exact cause of death in both cases has not been established, the National Weather Service in Sacramento issued a warning Monday to stay out of frigid Sierra lakes and streams today as the heat wave continues.

Even though temperatures will be in the low 80s today, water temperatures are in the 50s and 60s and can cause hypothermia quickly.



Hypothermia is a loss of body temperature that can be fatal or render swimmers less able to handle swift streams.

Divers told Jessica Farris that even if she had reached her husband in time, both would have ended up drowning, she said.

A detective described the water as "extremely cold," to The Union.



Jessica described her husband as athletic. He played competitive soccer, was in a Yuba City bowling league — and was a good swimmer, she said.

“He was the best husband and father ever. He could make anybody happy," she said.

Daniel loved to cook — things like steak and bacon-wrapped asparagus — and bake, she said.

He was good at everything," she said.

The couple had three children: Danni Farris, Richie Farris and Riley Castle. Other survivors include his mother, Lori Farris of Linda.

Daniel's best friend since childhood was Billy Spain, 22.

“He'd do anything for me. If you weren't brave enough to do something, he'd push you to do it, or do it for you," Spain said. “All in all, a good guy," he said.

“He was just the best guy. He'd go out of his way to help anybody," Going said.

Senior Staff Writer Dave Moller of The Union contributed to this article.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Rob Young at 749-4710 or at ryoung@appealdemocrat.com.