The most famous survivor of an accidental fall over Niagara Falls is Roger Woodward, who was just 7 years old when he was swept over the Horseshoe Falls on July 9, 1960. Roger was on a small boat with his 17-year-old sister, Deanne, and a family friend when the boat’s engine failed and it capsized in the rapids. While Deanne was heroically rescued by bystanders just feet from the edge, Roger was swept over the 167-foot drop wearing only a lifejacket. In what is widely considered a "miracle at Niagara," he survived the fall with only minor bruises and was rescued from the churning pool below by the crew of the Maid of the Mist sightseeing boat. Roger Woodward remains the youngest person—and one of the only people in history—to survive a plunge over the falls without the protection of a barrel or specialized vessel, a story that continues to captivate visitors to the falls in 2026.