ANTRIM COUNTY, Mich. (WWJ) -- A Michigan State Police trooper is being called a hero after jumping into action to rescue two men from a sinking boat off the coast of Elk Rapids.
State police say trooper Nicholas Reszka from the Gaylord Post responded to the call around 7 a.m. Sunday as a 48-year-old Leelanau man and a 54-year-old man from Long Lake were on a 21-foot aluminum fishing boat when the motor fell off, causing it to take on water and eventually capsize.
The men were able to hold onto the boat when they were thrown in the water. The boat eventually corrected itself, but continued to slowly sink. The owner of the boat called 911 for help.
When Reszka arrived on-scene, he could see the vessel from shore, but couldn’t see anyone on or around the boat. He quickly scanned the area for nearby boats to attempt a rescue.
Reszka knocked on the door of a nearby house and identified himself. After explaining the situation, the homeowner quickly grabbed the keys to his jetski and gave Reszka a life jacket.
As he was heading out to the boat, Reszka noticed two other boats were trailing behind him to assist -- one was a rescue boat from the Elk Rapids Fire Department and the other was another fishing boat.
Reszka saw the two men standing on the sinking boat, chest-deep in water. He rescued one of them, while the other was rescued by the other fishing boat.
Authorities say both men were extremely cold and near exhaustion after spending a little more than a half hour in the 49-degree water, but they both denied medical treatment on the shore.
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