What was supposed to be a relaxing day on the lake turned into a stressful one after a man became separated from his very expensive prosthetic leg.
Thankfully the local sheriff’s office not only saved the day, but saved Brandon Smith from having to pay several thousand dollars for another prothesis.
Day at the lake
Brandon Smith and his six-year-old son spent Sunday floating on Sunrise Lake in Milford Township, Michigan. The two were enjoying their time, until the little boy jumped off the raft and into the water.
For reasons unknown, Brandon’s prosthetic leg became separated and plunged into the water.
It fell to the bottom of the lake, 50 feet below.
Brandon attempted to retrieve the leg, but he had no such luck.
Call for help
His father-in-law, Tim McIntosh, contacted the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Dive Team responded and worked with Brandon for 40 minutes to locate his prothesis.
After using GPS to find an approximate location, they jumped in the water and within 10 minutes Deputy Justin Wiegand brought the leg, which was in “surprisingly good shape” to the surface.
“In this incident, they were able to make a big quality of life difference for this gentleman who obviously would be greatly negatively impacted by the loss of his prosthetic leg. I’m proud of their work every day and especially in this circumstance,” Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a statement.
Brandon was relieved to have his prosthetic leg back, as it was only something he recently acquired. Over the past several years he has undergone 17 surgeries to repair his leg that was injured during a fall.
The prosthetic leg has provided him with independence and mobility that he did not previously have.
I can only imagine the relief Brandon must have felt when the dive team brought his prothesis to the surface.
Please share this story!
