What started as a day of fun on Lake Michigan turned tragic on Tuesday when a man who jumped from a boat to help a group of kids struggling in the water near Elder Lane Beach in Winnetka drowned, authorities said.
“It’s tragic,” Winnetka Fire Chief John Ripka said Wednesday.
He said Winnetka firefighter received a 911 call about 1:20 p.m. Tuesday that an unconscious man had been pulled from the lake. He said when rescuers arrived at Elder Beach in the 200 block of Sheridan Road a boat was arriving at the shore with the man onboard and that others in the boat were performing CPR on him.
He said Winnetka EMTs continued CPR and rushed the man, identified by the Cook County Medical Examiners office as Luke Laidley, 43, of Winnetka, to Evanston Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Ripka said Laidley was in a boat with a group of other people about 100 feet from shore when they saw a group of children in inner tubes who appeared to be struggling in the water. Laidley jumped in to give assistance but disappeared under the surface, said Ripka. He said Laidley was in the water for about a minute before he was pulled back on the board and rushed to shore.
He said it is unclear if Laidley experienced some kind of medical emergency when he jumped into the water or drowned.
“The Medical Examiner will determine that,” he said.
He also said Laidley was not wearing a life jacket.
“We strongly encourage anyone out of the lake to wear preservers,” he said.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.
