Good Samaritan helps rescue 2 women from Rock River in Fond du Lac County after their kayaks capsized

TOWNSHIP OF WAUPUN – Two women were rescued from the Rock River Saturday evening after their kayaks capsized.

A woman called the Fond du Lac County Communications Center at around 7:24 p.m. Saturday reporting she and her friend were stuck in downed timber on the river and unable to rescue themselves as a result of a swift-moving current, Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

The dispatcher gathered the woman’s location and guided a sheriff’s sergeant who was in the area to their location, which was just north of Highway 49 near Church Road.

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Waupun Police Department, LifeStar Ambulance and Waupun Fire Department were also sent to aid as both women were struggling to stay above water, the sheriff's office said.

The sheriff’s sergeant located the first woman, a 40-year-old Beaver Dam woman, and noticed a good Samaritan was already in the water trying to keep her above the water line.

The sergeant entered the water and used water rescue equipment from his squad car to keep afloat both women and pull them to shore.

Waupun Fire Department then was able to navigate the swift-moving water and reach the other female, a 52-year-old Waupun woman. She was quickly freed from the downed tree and brought to shore.

Both women were uninjured and their kayaks were recovered from the river.

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“We would like to thank the good Samaritan who selflessly stepped in to aid law enforcement in this hazardous incident,” Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Nick Kahnke said in the news release.

“It is also important to thank the community members who donated the water rescue equipment used in this event,” he added. “Each one of our patrol fleet vehicles are outfitted with such safety equipment because of the generosity of our community.

“This call for service shows what great things can be accomplished when our citizens and emergency services work together.”

Contact Brandon Reid at 920-686-2984 or breid@gannett.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @breidHTRNews.

This article originally appeared on Fond du Lac Reporter: Good Samaritan helps rescue women on Rock River after kayaks capsize