Summertime! So many fun things to do outside, things that aren’t particularly dangerous in and of themselves but can get real scary real fast…
A 40 year old man by the name of Chris Robertson was out on the lake last week, when his kayak took on water and capsized.
Thankfully, he was able to grab onto the overturned kayak and call out for help.
16 year old high school student Jamey Ruth Klassen was on the beach, heard him, jumped in the water and swam about 600 feet to the kayak. By then, Chris had gone under.
Jamey could see Chris on the bottom of the lake, so she took a deep breath and dived 12 feet and pulled him to the surface. She positioned Chris face up with his head on her shoulder.
He was unconscious and not breathing. She didn’t panic… this would be a lot for anyone, let alone an 11th grader. Jamey wrapped an arm around the man’s chest and used the other arm and her legs to swim toward shore with him.
She was nearly exhausted and shouted for help. A guy on a paddleboard heard her, came over, and he and Jamey got Chris up onto the board. He paddled him back to shore, while Jamey swam.
They got Chris out of the water, just as medics arrived, they were able to revive him, get him to a hospital, get him checked out — he’s gonna be ok!
So Jamey Klassen — you ARE the most awesome person on the planet, you saw an urgent situation, you knew you could help, you had the swimming skills, but in that moment, with the pressure on — literally sink or swim — you kept your cool, you got it done, you saved a man’s life!
Jamey will receive the Carnegie Medal award for bravery along with a a high five and a fist bump from all of us here at The Uplift Radio Show! Well done, Jamey!
