Kayaker Rescued From Lake Michigan Near Wilmette
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Firefighters in north suburban Wilmette rescued a man whose kayak overturned in Lake Michigan on Tuesday.
The man, believed to be in his 40s, was wearing a wetsuit, and told rescuers he had been kayaking a mile offshore when his kayak flipped over, dumping him into the 46 degree water.
A passerby heard his cries for help, and she called 911.
Wilmette Deputy Fire Chief Robert Brill said firefighters found a man who was considerably closer to shore but exhausted.
"It appears he just wasn't able to get out of the water under his own power. He got to the point where he was just so hypothermic he wasn't able to use his legs at all to get himself the last 100 feet into shore," he said.
Fire department rescue crews and divers donning exposure suits went into the water to help the man to shore.
Paramedics stabilized the man and took him to Evanston Hospital, where he was alert and talking.