When two young girls decided to go swimming in Lake Michigan, they had no idea they might not make it back out alive.
Pro Surfer
Zeb Boeskool had been surfing for most of his life. He was a seasoned veteran of the sport and felt confident in the water regardless of the weather outside.
A storm was brewing over the sands of Lake Michigan, but Zeb wanted to catch the waves, which were bigger in inclement weather. Little did he know, his decision to venture into the lake that day would impact him in ways he could never have imagined…
Red Flag at Full Mast
When Zeb arrived at the beach with his gear, a red flag was already flying, which meant swimming conditions were dangerous, but Zeb didn’t care.
Ignoring the Warnings
The National Weather Service had even issued beach hazard statement that whole week, which stayed in effect in order to make sure beachgoers knew it was against their advice to enter the tides.
Huge Waves
The waves along the shores of Lake Michigan from St. Joseph to Manistee were as high as 4 to 7 feet, but Zeb wanted to take advantage of the challenge and chose to disregard the warning.
Warming Up
Zeb decided to stretch before entering the water. He set down his surfboard and began to warm up for his surf session. If Zeb hadn’t been in shape to swim, the outcome of what was about to happen might have been tremendously different.
What’s That?
Zeb was finally about to get into the water when he saw something strange floating far from his vision. It looked like a log, but he couldn’t be sure…
Getting Closer
At first, Zeb ignored the floating object. He figured it was just some sort of debris, which often appeared in the Lake near the pier. Zeb took his first step into the lake, board beneath his arm…
It Was Moving
That’s when Zeb saw something unnerving: whatever was floating near the pier looked like it was struggling to stay above water. He began to grow concerned, wondering if it was an animal.
Checking It Out
Zeb looked around. There were a few other people on the beach; two older men, both with cameras, and a small family playing in the shallow end of the waters. Some young boys were splashing in a puddle where the waves broke. Nobody looked like they were prepared to go swimming.
Curiosity
Zeb’s curiosity got the best of him. He decided to swim toward the pier against the ferocious riptides to see if he could get a better look at whatever was out here.
Rough Waters
As Zeb began to paddle out, he realized the waves were much stronger than he anticipated. The rip current was practically carrying him out to sea…
Something Isn’t Right
As Zeb swam against the current, he noticed there wasn’t one object in the water, but two—and they were flailing helplessly. A chill ran down his spine as he realized he saw two pairs of arms waving in the air.
In Trouble
Instantly, Zeb knew he had to do something, and he had to do it fast. He fought his way back to the shore, worried that time was running out.
Back on the Shore
Zeb managed to make it back to the beach, breathless. He sprinted out of the water in search of a floatation device.
Life Preserver
He spotted a life ring leaning against a lifeguard stand, grabbed it, and dove back into the water. Meanwhile, the two men with cameras grew curious about what was going on.
Photographer On the Scene
Mike Dixon and his brother-and-law happened to be on the beach that day trying to get some interesting shots of the stormy waters. They were taking photos of the crashing waves when he saw Zeb grab the life ring.
Photographer
Although Mike wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, he knew it would be in his best interest to start taking pictures…
Help Arrives
Someone had called 911, noticing the two people trapped in the dangerous waters. While emergency workers were arriving at the scene, Zeb had made it back out in the water.
Rescue
Zeb was struggling himself to stay on the surfboard. The waters were roiling, dragging his body left and right. He paddled about half a mile out from the pier. That’s when he saw who was drowning: two young girls.
Imminent Danger
Zeb knew the girls couldn’t have been older than 13 or 14. They were caught in the rip current. The older one was conscious, but the younger one didn’t seem to be breathing.
Helping Hands
Zeb couldn’t bring the two girls back to shore on his own. Luckily, Mike the photographer had alerted some other surfers who had arrived at the beach to the situation.
From the Beach
“Right in front of us we noticed a man heading into the water with a life ring,” said Mike. “At first we thought it odd because we didn’t see anyone in the water, and he wasn’t moving very fast. After a few moments we saw the two girls quite far out into the water, struggling to swim. They were in deep trouble. “
Life Saver
Mike Dixon used his zoom lens to find where the girls were drowning in the water, which helped the rescuers locate them. Meanwhile, the surfers had swum out to Zeb, who was trying to help the girls stay afloat…
Swim Fins
The surfers tossed Zeb a pair of swim fins, which he gave to the girl who was still conscious. He was able to help her back to shore. The other girl was floating in the water, passed out.
Like a Log
“I could see her floating there and it looked like a log,” he said. “Once I grabbed her, immediately we got hit by some pretty big waves, and that was really testing because you don’t really know how long you are going to be under for.”
Making it to Shore
Zeb helped the 14-year-old swim to the beach, where emergency services were waiting shortly after the call was made at 3:15. Meanwhile, Mike Dixon’s zoom lens helped the rescue workers locate the second girl. The current was too strong for Zeb to fight it off—he needed help.
Time Was Running Out
The unconscious girl, age 13, was pulled from the water by rescue services and rushed across the beach on a stretcher to an ambulance that was waiting in the nearby state park campground.
Back to Safety
The 13-year-old was then transported to North Ottawa Community Hospital in critical condition. The 14-year-old rode up the beach in the state park’s quad vehicle. She was taken to the hospital for observation and later released.
A Hero
The 13-year-old girl was eventually declared stable, and Zeb was hailed a town hero. “If Zeb would not have been there, I’m sure she would have perished,” said Mike Dixon, who was also responsible for helping with the situation.