A chilling incident unfolded at Grass Lake in Jackson County as two individuals found themselves in a perilous fight for survival after falling through the ice. Alerts were raised around noon when a local couple heard cries for help and witnessed the harrowing scene unfold. According to WILX, Bonnie Henley and her husband were the first to respond, quickly contacting first responders.
Henley's husband, mistakenly identified by his wife, saw the two on the lake and immediately realized the gravity of the situation. "My husband said he saw two gentlemen or two people, he didn’t know who it was, out on the lake ice skating," Henley told WILX. She describes how one of the men appeared frantic and was cautioned by his partner before falling into the icy waters.
Efforts by Grass Lake and Napoleon Township Fire Departments, assisted by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, resulted in a challenging yet successful rescue operation. "The rescue was difficult, it was over a 1000 ft. out under the water so a lot of rope and a lot of manpower," Grass Lake Assistant Chief Brent Jones said in a statement obtained by WILX. He also warned about the inherent risks associated with ice, stating, "I’ve always been taught no ice is safe ice always use caution every time you go out no matter what."
The urgency of the situation was compounded by the chilling fact that while one victim managed to self-rescue, the other remained submerged, prompting the initial request for a state dive team, which was later called off after the individual was rescued. Reporting by MICHIGAN FIRE ALERTS detailed that "CPR WAS BEING PERFORMED ON THE VICTIM AND THE VICTIM WAS TRANSPORTED BY JCA TO HENRY FORD HOSPTIAL IN JACKSON."
Further details on the condition of the rescued individuals have not been made available by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. Meanwhile, a separate report by WLNS confirms that two persons fell through the ice, and both were successfully pulled from the waters. This recent incident heightens the need for heightened awareness and caution among the public when considering venturing onto ice-covered waters during the winter months.
