LUDINGTON — Police said four high school seniors helped save a man who was drowning at Stearns Beach on Wednesday.
A 911 caller said the man had been struggling in the water for about five minutes. Mason County Sheriff’s Office marine deputies and a Ludington Police officer patrolling the area in a boat were the first on the scene.
The four high schoolers seniors said they were having a fun evening on the beach when the man’s friend asked them to help save his friend’s life.
“We’re all good swimmers, so I don’t really see no reason for us not to go in and get the guy,” said Brayden Lewis.
The boys worked together using a water floatie to stay above the rough waves.
“[They were] probably about three, four, five feet. And it was just one after another. It was like two steps forward, big wave picks us up, brings us right back to where we started again,” said Joey Liohnspahn-Baxter.
The boys got out to the man and got him to the MCSO boat when it arrived. Police said he was unresponsive, and the deputies and officer immediately started CPR.
“He was unresponsive. Nothing. You could hear the screams of the Coast Guard, ‘Come on, stay with me, man, come on.’ And you could hear the pumps on his chest,” said Gary Jacobs.
They brought the man into a boat launch, where Fire and EMS took over lifesaving measures and transported him to the hospital. He was treated at the Corewell Health Ludington Hospital ER before being flown to Corewell Butterworth Hospital.
They were glad to have helped, but the boys left wondering if the man would be alright. On Thursday during school, one of their moms messaged to let them know he had survived.
Looking back, they said what they did was probably a little reckless, but they were glad to help.
“You might think you are a good swimmer, but with these wild waters, you never fully are. So always take an account of that,” said Bradley Schneyder. “And if something happens like what what happened yesterday, don’t be like us. Call for professionals first.”
Police said as of Thursday, the man is still in critical but stable condition.