WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAU) — Onlookers and first responders saved the life of a man who nearly drowned at Whitewater Park in Wausau on Saturday.
Wausau police lieutenant Nathan Pekarske says the 55-year-old Minnesota man was running the kayak course around 11:30 am when he flipped over. “It appeared that he had some kind of medical issue while kayaking, causing him to roll over in his kayak and underneath the water, did not resurface.” Onlookers and other kayakers were able to get the man to the riverbank and a doctor and nurse on scene started CPR. “They did perform CPR until Wausau Fire paramedics arrived, at which time they took over the resuscitation efforts and we able to revive the individual and transport him to Aspirus Wausau Hospital.”
Officials are crediting the quick actions of the people in the park for saving the man’s life. Pekarske says this was a group effort. “The right people were in the right place at the right time and all worked together for a positive outcome.”
His condition has not been released at this time.
