Two off-duty Kenosha County deputies rescued a mother and her two children from Lake Michigan on Sunday.
According to the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department, around 3 p.m., Deputies Kelsey Schwuchow and Christopher Bischoff saw two juveniles drowning and their mother struggling to swim in Lake Michigan off of Simmons Island. It was about 9 feet of water and 60 yards from shore.
Deputies Schwuchow and Bischoff jumped into the lake and swam to them, rescuing both juveniles and their mother.
The sheriff's department said the mother saw the juveniles drowning and ran into the water in an effort to save her children, but couldn't reach them. When the deputies reached the juveniles and began to bring them to shore, all of them began to go under the water.
"The Deputies broke away from the juveniles for a brief moment to regain their breath and strength before continuing to pull the juveniles to shore," the sheriff's department said in a statement. "While swimming back to shore with the juveniles, Deputies Schwuchow and Bischoff swam past the mother who also was beginning to drown. Deputy Schwuchow instructed the mother how to float on her back and comforted her by stating she (Deputy Schwuchow) would be back for her. After reaching shore with the juveniles, Deputy Schwuchow went back into Lake Michigan and was able to safely pull the mother to land as well."
The deputies were battling 3-4 foot waves at close intervals as well as a rip current.
All involved individuals, including the deputies, are expected to make a full recovery.
The sheriff's department said both deputies were off duty and enjoying their time off from work with their families when the incident occurred.
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