It Ain’t Over Till the Rescued Boater Sings
December 18, 2011
Byline: Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two men were rescued from the chilly waters of Pyramid Lake Nov. 30, after high winds knocked them out of their 10-foot powerboat.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Johnie Jones said a store operator alerted authorities that a 60-year-old man and his 29-year-old son hadn’t returned from a boat ride after 65 to 70 mph winds began lashing the lake, causing 5-foot swells.
Sheriff’s deputies found the men clinging to the side of their capsized boat and directed them on how to paddle to safety.
They were both treated for mild hypothermia.
The 60-year-old, who said he was a former opera singer from the Ukraine, sang “God Bless America” to the deputies, as a token of his appreciation for the rescue.
Pyramid Lake is about 56 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
