Officials said the pair were ice fishing on the lake when the ice gave away and they fell into the water.Patch Staff|Updated Fri, Dec 27, 2024 at 4:17 pm ETADDISON TOWNSHIP, MI — A 66-year-old man and his 15-year-old grandson were rescued from an icy Oakland County lake Thursday, according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.The Livonia man and his grandson, of Ligonier, Pennsylvania, were ice fishing on Lake George in Addison Township at 1:45 p.m. Thursday, according to officials.While the man w...
Officials said the pair were ice fishing on the lake when the ice gave away and they fell into the water.
Patch Staff
|Updated Fri, Dec 27, 2024 at 4:17 pm ET
ADDISON TOWNSHIP, MI — A 66-year-old man and his 15-year-old grandson were rescued from an icy Oakland County lake Thursday, according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.
The Livonia man and his grandson, of Ligonier, Pennsylvania, were ice fishing on Lake George in Addison Township at 1:45 p.m. Thursday, according to officials.
While the man was drilling a hole, the ice gave away and he fell through into the water, according to officials.
The 15-year-old boy called 911 and tried to pull his grandfather out of the water, but more ice gave away and the boy fell into the water as well, according to officials.
A neighbor, who saw the two fall into the water, grabbed a kayak and went onto the lake, according to officials.
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The neighbor pulled the boy out of the water and used a second kayak to try and help the Livonia man, but the ice kept breaking, according to officials.
The neighbor wasn't able to pull the man out of the water, but he was able to help keep his head above the water while they waited for rescuers, according to officials.
Fire officials secured a line around the Livonia man and pulled him out of the water and onto safer ice, according to officials.
The Livonia man was taken to a nearby hospital where he was listed in critical condition, according to officials.
The 15-year-old boy was also taken to a nearby hospital where he was treated and released, according to officials.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the "selfless actions of the neighbor and the quick response by rescuers" saved the man and his grandson.
"The temperatures have had such a large degree of fluctuation that we encourage the public to stay off the ice," Bouchard said. "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."
Neither the grandson nor grandfather were wearing life jackets. Officials do not believe alcohol was a factor in the incident.
Along with the Addison Township firefighters, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team, the Lapeer County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team and the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office all responded to assist with the rescue.
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