GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — A U.S. Coast Guard Seaman enjoying his first Coast Guard Festival since joining the service jumped into action on Tuesday evening to save the life of a man who fell into the Grand River.
A 97-year-old man fell into the water just before 7p.m. on July 29 at the pier where the the USCGC Mackinaw and USCGC Katmai Bay are docked for public tours. The man lost his balance while resting on his walker, going down more than six feet into the Grand River.
Seaman Joseph Turk stationed on the Katmai Bay jumped into the water. He kept the man afloat for more than 20 minutes while treading water until other responders could bring rescue equipment to the area.
Video of the rescue was shared by the Coast Guard on social media Wednesday.
Watch: Crews pull man from water after fall at Coast Guard Festival
The 97-year-old had injuries to his hand and leg from the fall. He was taken to the hospital for medical care.
Seaman Turk has served in the Coast Guard for less than a year.
“Jumping in the water was just a natural thing to do” said Turk in a media release. “You know, it’s one of those things we train for. I was doing a surface rescue swimmer training just a few days before. So we were definitely ready when it happened, which is a great thing.”
Turk detailed the rescue during a scrum with local media Wednesday.
"He was floating face down and then came up [I got his] head above water and then from there he was right there fighting with me," Seaman Turk said.
Turk said he would "love" to meet up with the man again, but this time on dry land.
"That would be really cool. He was a great guy [...] he was just a little apologetic," Turk said.
