It happened yesterday. I was on the same river the day before. The Paw Paw is a small river but it’s just full of fallen and sunken trees and doesn’t seem like a good river for swimming. Took the attached pics Saturday.
There seems to be conflicting reports. One said the wife got him to shore and called 911. Others claim an “unsuccessful water rescue.” Heart attack? Whatever the cause, it’s a truly sad event.
I’m thinking the headline should leave out the word ‘kayaker’. If they got the story right the kayak had very little to do with this guy’s death. If he drove to the river to swim would they write Motorist Drowns in the Paw Paw?
Kind of like the kayak had nothing to do with this: https://www.pressherald.com/2019/07/28/fryeburg-police-rescue-unconscious-woman-from-saco-river-bank/
@Rex said:
I’m thinking the headline should leave out the word ‘kayaker’. If they got the story right the kayak had very little to do with this guy’s death. If he drove to the river to swim would they write Motorist Drowns in the Paw Paw?
You are right and not all of the local story headlines included the word “kayaker”. I like to think of all incidents as learning opportunities and this one prompted me to review CPR basics and contact a couple of local TV stations to ask if they might run segments on CPR basics…in a calm river with another adult close by a little CPR might have brought him right back. The previous day I passed some kayakers on my way upstream including one guy bumping his SOT into his partner’s while she said “stop it” so when I saw the story I was afraid it might have been her.
Hey kayamedic, the word ‘alcohol’ should definitely be in that headline.