PAW PAW, Mich. — A "citizen hero" rescued a power parasailor who was under icy water for five to 10 minutes after he crashed into a lake Friday evening around 6:15 p.m., according to the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office.
The man was flying about 100 to 200 feet above Ackley Lake using a paramotor which is used in the sport of powered parasailing to help give flight to the parachute.
The man who deputies are calling a hero drove to the lake to investigate after he heard the crash and found the victim underwater. The rescuer broke the ice to get to the parasailor, but was able to stay on top of it and lift the submerged man's head out of the water. He then gasped for breath.
The rescuer called 911 and held the victim's head above water in 15 to 18 degrees until first responders arrived. They took the victim to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo. As of 1 a.m. Saturday, the man is in critical but stable condition and is breathing on his own.
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