GENOA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — A 89-year-old man who the U.S. Coast Guard was called to rescue from Lake Chemung in Livingston County on Wednesday afternoon has died, officials said.
The Coast Guard also helped members of the Brighton Fire Department who were trapped during the rescue efforts.
On Thursday, the Livingston County Sheriff's Office released more information about the incident.
Deputies said the 90-year-old man from the area went out on Lake Chemung to ice sail on the ice and fell through.
His family released the following statement on Thursday:
A Heartfelt Thank You to Our First Responders
On behalf of our family, we want to express our deepest gratitude to the incredible first responders who worked tirelessly during the ice boating accident that claimed the life of our beloved father. The dedication and bravery shown by the police, firefighters, and rescue teams—spending hours battling the elements to pull him from the icy waters—will never be forgotten.
At 89 years old, he had an unstoppable zest for life. A brilliant engineer and a creative spirit, he designed and built ice boats and sailboats, using his ingenuity and nature’s resources to pursue his dreams. His adventurous heart never faded, and he remained deeply passionate about the world around him.
Though our hearts are heavy with grief, we find comfort in knowing that everything possible was done to bring him to safety. Your courage, skill, and compassion in the face of such a challenging rescue mean the world to us.
We are forever grateful for your service and sacrifice.
Thank you for all you do to protect and serve our community.
With sincere appreciation.
See the videos of the rescue below
The Brighton Fire Department along with the Livingston County Dive Team went to rescue the man but became stuck as well.
“The problem was it was open water yet there’s ice, you couldn’t get there. You couldn’t row. You count get there," Laura Wildman who lives on the lake said.
Wildman let first responders use her backyard, kayaks and canoes to help in the rescue efforts. She saw firsthand how the firefighters struggled on the lake.
Rescuers were able to get to the man and keep him above water but were not able to remove him.
“It was very remarkable to see, they put themselves out there and it was really scary," she said. "At one point I think there was at least five different people in the lake. It was horrible. It was a nightmare.”
The Coast Guard flew to the lake to offer assistance and extract the victim along with two firefighters.
“One of our firefighters was in the water with the gentleman for almost an hour and a half and was transported to the hospital with mild hypothermia," Brighton Area Fire Department Deputy Chief Brian Siriani said. “We had eight fire fighters treated for mild hypothermia."
The firefighters are all expected to be okay. The exact cause of death for the initial victim is not yet clear.
