Wisconsin Dog Rescue

Survivors, rescuers recount Duluth rip current nightmare

By: Jana Hollingsworth , Duluth News Tribune

All Roberta Kunkel could do was watch as her 8-year-old son was overcome by wave after wave, with no time to breathe before he went under again.

“My son is yelling at my husband, ‘Daddy, help me,’ ” she said. “To see your son looking like a bobber in the water going down and coming up and never getting enough air. … I thought I was going to lose my son.”

Roberta Kunkel and her husband, Chay Kunkel, were trying to rescue their son, Noah, and his friend, Megan Schmidt, 10, who had been caught in a rip current off Park Point in Lake Superior on Wednesday afternoon. Roberta and Chay, exhausted from fighting the current to hold onto the children, needed rescuing themselves.

The two children had been swimming in chest-deep water when they were swept off their feet and carried out into deeper water. The Kunkels went in to retrieve them and were quickly caught in the same channel of rapidly moving water. Someone gave Chay a boogie board that he used to hold onto Noah, and Roberta held onto Megan, but both grew exhausted.

“I had Megan and she was pulling me under,” Roberta said, “and then her hand slipped out of mine. There is nothing worse than losing the grip of someone and knowing because of that they are probably going to drown.”

After Roberta lost contact with Megan, 17-year-old Nick Salstrand was able to swim out and grab Megan and bring her to shore, and then returned for Noah. The 6-foot, 8-inch Salstrand said he was able to touch bottom where others couldn’t and pushed through the current to get the kids to shore. Others helped Chay out of the water while Roberta, farther out and clinging to a life vest someone brought out early on, was being helped by Steve and Paddy Elsmore, who knew to swim parallel to the shore to get out of the current.

“It was still a struggle,” Roberta said. “For every 2 feet forward it takes you 1 back.”

Salstrand returned to help Roberta and the Elsmores.

“The lady was pretty far out,” Salstrand said. “There were two other people with floaties keeping her above water. I grabbed the floatie and helped pull them in. We more moving sideways and then pulled straight to the shore (once they broke through the rip current).

Bichon Frise - Marky - Small - Adult - Male - Dog | Mukwonago ...

Bichon and Little Buddies will be at various events throughout the summer where you will be able to meet a couple of our adoptable dogs and get more information about our rescue. Aug 6 at Tractor Supply in Mukwonago WI, Aug 8 at the Wi State Fair, and Aug 27 and 28 at the Wi K9 Sport Show at the Waukesha County Expo Center. More details closer to the events. We are a volunteer based organization, and will not be available to show dogs without an appointment. We do ask that you fill out the pre-adoption application available at www.bichonrescues.com <http://www.bichonrescues.com> prior to calling for more information or to make an appointment. Once we approve your application we willl contact you. Thanks for understanding! Marky is a 3 year old Bichon mix, most likely with Shih Tzu (making him the designer breed 'Teddy Bear'). His family gave him up for adoption and he is a little nervous about the changes in his life. He lived with children in his home, but probably would do best with older children. If interested in meeting Marky, please fill out the pre-adoption application, and we will set up an appointment for you. The adoption fee through Bichon and Little Buddies rescue is $325, which includes WI sales tax. Included in this fee is your new companion who, before going home, will be spayed/neutered, vet checked, updated on vaccines, heartworm tested, microchipped, and dewormed. Any other medical treatment will be taken care of as well. Most retired breeders need dentals done. Other common ailments treated often include ear infections, eye infections, and hernia repairs. We try to have all dogs bathed/groomed prior to going to their new home. Grooming is donated by Tammie at Groom'n Time Pet Spa (www.gtpetspa.com <http://www.gtpetspa.com> ). To assist you and your new pet in adjusting to life together, you will also receive a 7-8 week age appropriate obedience training course at For Pet's Sake Dog Training at no additional charge. This course is donated by For Pet's Sake, and may be used at any of their locations within 3 months of adoption. Visit www.forpetssake.cc <http://www.forpetssake.cc/> for more information on the classes. All dogs are seen by appointment only. Many are in various foster homes getting extra one on one attention getting them ready for their new homes.

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