By Susan Smiley
The Macomb Daily, Mount Clemens, Mich.
STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. — Sterling Heights police officer Nikolas Bruno didn’t expect to use his lifeguarding skills last Saturday while he was on patrol.
But when he was called to Riverland Park at 2:30 p.m. in response to reports of a female kayaker in distress, Bruno didn’t hesitate to jump into the Clinton River to save a woman who was not wearing a life jacket and clinging to a log.
“As soon as I got out of the patrol car, I heard people screaming and yelling and realized she was in serious danger,” Bruno said. “She didn’t have a life jacket on and she is not a strong swimmer, so I took off my gun belt and jumped in.”
The woman had been kayaking with a group when she hit a downed tree that was hidden just below the water line. She capsized and went under her kayak, which then hit her in the head. She managed to get to a log and her daughter, who was kayaking with her, was able to swim to a sturdy log dam.
The rescued woman reported that she, her daughter, and her niece were kayaking for the first time when her kayak capsized after getting caught on a downed tree in the river. She told officer Bruno she was “barely holding on” when he rescued her.
“I think this is a good reminder to always wear your life jacket,” Bruno said. “Even if you think you don’t need it just put it on because you would surely rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.”
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