LUDINGTON, Mich. — An off-duty police lieutenant made a split second decision Monday to jump into the precarious waters of Lake Michigan after spotting two young boys struggling to keep themselves afloat.
Lt. Eric Rottman, with the Paw Paw Police Department, was leaving the beach in Ludington with his family when he noticed a woman in distress, calling out to her two young sons who were seemingly struggling in Lake Michigan near the breakwater.
“It looked like the youngest boy was having some trouble in the water. So she [their mom] yelled out 'help them' and she immediately jumped in,” Lt. Rottman recalled.
The boys were just seven and ten years old.
"I saw the older boy that was out a little further, so I ran down, called for someone to call 911, and I jumped in after that boy."
At that point, both boys, their mother, and Lt. Rottman were in the chaotic waters.
"I was able to get to the older boy, grabbed him, was able to swim him out to where he could touch," he explained.
"While I was doing that, I looked back and saw that mom and the younger son were struggling in the water."
So, he gets the older boy near the shore, and heads back towards the pair still in trouble.
As this is happening, Lt. Rottman's wife and sister-in-law tossed some life-preservers the family had with them into the water.
A kite surfer named Frank Swartz made his way to the pair, jumped into the water, and helped get the jackets on them.
As Lt. Rottman is getting near the mom and younger boy, he notices that the older boy who he just brought into the shore was trying to get back out into the water, presumably trying to help his mother and brother.
Lt. Rottman gets the younger boy and his mother to the shore.
"I was helping mom get up to shore... she couldn't walk, she was exhausted,” he recalled.
By this point, the older boy was once again stuck in the water.
Swartz was able to get another life jacket onto him, and bring him to shore.
Everyone was safe— an incredible ending to a story that could have gone tragic at several points.
"Afterwards, you know, I think it was a pretty emotional experience for some of my family," Lt. Rottman told FOX 17.
"Made me feel good that I was there at the right time."
After the incident, the Ludington Police Department shared some advice for staying safe in Lake Michigan near the breakwater.
