This was the scene as we were having a blast with friends on Zukey Lake yesterday afternoon. Around 5:30 pm, we had just ordered pizza from the Zukey Lake Tavern,  floating on our pontoon boat eating, when we realized something was TERRIBLY WRONG. 

All of a sudden, just a few hundred feet from our boat, we see what appears to be 3 police boats circling , and a life jacket in the water.  Not having any idea what is going on, we are “hoping that perhaps this is a training exercise”…… 

When a police boat came to us, and asked us to leave the area, as they were “searching for a man who”may have drowned”, our worst fears confirmed, we were devastated and felt SO HELPLESS. 

view from Linda's dock this morning as divers continue searching

Our dock and home, was just another few hundred feet away from where we were, so we slowly made our way back to our dock, where we watched as police divers searched until dark.  The search resumed again this morning, and sadly, the search continues as I write this, with helicopters circling overhead, several boats and divers. 

Police divers searching for missing Dad

divers searching in front of Linda's house

According to the Livingston County Daily Argus and WXYZ Channel 7 News, a 58-year-old man, is presumed to have drowned, after trying to rescue his teenage son and another teenage friend, who were swimming on Zukey Lake. When one or both the kids floated away from the pontoon boat they were on, and starting having “difficulty” getting back to the boat, the Dad jumped in the lake to help the kids. The Dad,  then disappeared into the lake. No alcohol was believed to be involved in this accident, only bottled water was found onboard the pontoon. 

The MOST IMPORTANT THING to remember when someone is in trouble in the water, is to THROW them a life ring,  life-preserver, or flotation device, and PUT ON a LIFE PRESERVER before jumping in to try to save someone! Any parents instinct, would be to just jump in and try to save them, but this horrible tragedy is a reminder of what can happen in this same situation. 

My thoughts and prayers are with the family of this Dad, his son, and all the police and divers who are still searching on Zukey Lake, which will remain closed until he is found.