ADDISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A neighbor’s quick actions helped save a man and his teen grandson after they fell into an Oakland County lake while trying to go ice fishing, officials said.
At 1:45 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 26, Oakland County deputies responded to the 700 block of W. Leonard Road in Addison Township after receiving a report of two people falling through the ice on Lake George.
Authorities discovered that a 66-year-old Livonia man and his 15-year-old grandson, a resident of Ligonier, Penn., had gone onto the frozen lake to go ice fishing, and were drilling a hole when the ice gave way, causing the grandfather to fall into the water.
The teen called 911. He then tried to get his grandfather out of the lake, but the ice broke, and he fell in too.
A neighbor saw them fall and quickly grabbed his kayak and went out to them on the water.
He assisted the teen out of the water and then grabbed another kayak to help the grandfather.
The neighbor couldn’t get the 66-year-old out of the lake because the ice kept breaking, but he kept the man’s head above the water until help arrived.
Addison Township firefighters arrived and secured a line around the man to “pull him to safer ice,” according to the sheriff’s office.
CPR was administered to the grandfather, and he was taken to a local hospital, where he is listed in critical condition.
The 15-year-old was treated and released.
Authorities say that neither of them were wearing life jackets, and alcohol is not believed to be a factor.
“The temperatures have had such a large degree of fluctuation that we encourage the public to stay off the ice,” said Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard. “There is no ice that could be considered safe at this time. The quick actions of the neighbor and rescuers prevented what would have surely been an unspeakable tragedy for this family.”
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team, along with the Lapeer County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene to assist.
