It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of anything involving the water. I grew up on the Mississippi River, riding along in just about every type of boat my dad and his buddies had over the years. In my late teens and early twenties, I was about as reckless as they come. It wasn’t until I turned 25 that I started thinking seriously about safety, especially after spending 12 years as a firefighter, including six years with a department that handled a high volume of water rescues. That experience taught me to have a deep respect for the water.

What compelled me to write this article was a heartbreaking situation that unfolded over Father’s Day weekend in 2025. I’ll link the news article below, but in short: a 20-year-old went under and never resurfaced. As of today, he still hasn’t been found. I’ve been part of the recovery efforts, along with dozens—if not hundreds—of sportsmen, boaters, and rescue personnel. It’s the kind of call no father ever wants to receive—especially on Father’s Day. The "River Community" here in Pool 26 stepped up in such a big way. Bob Mannecke of "Mann's Meats," who is a family friend of the victim, stepped up in such a way that shows his continuous demonstration of selflessness. The amount of man-hours invested in this recovery in just the last 48 hours has to be near thousands of hours. It's amazing to see a community step up like that. 

With that in mind, I can’t say with certainty how the situation unfolded. A tragedy is a tragedy—plain and simple. What I can say is that far too many people still underestimate how dangerous the water really is. Water gives life, but it can just as easily take it. It’s an unstoppable force of nature—powerful, unpredictable, and at times unforgiving.

It’s believed this young man was wading on a shallow sandbar, recently formed, when he and two friends encountered a 12-foot drop-off. The two friends resurfaced, but he did not. They immediately began calling for help.

On this stretch of the Mississippi, it’s uncommon for anyone to wear a life vest. The Coast Guard doesn’t patrol this particular pool, and while the Highway Patrol takes their responsibilities seriously, safety enforcement here is limited. I’ve seen people drinking and operating boats my entire life—back when even drinking and driving didn’t raise many eyebrows. Any time someone drowned or had a close call, it was often brushed off with a shrug and the phrase, “That’s just the way it is.”

I hope that mindset begins to change.

Now, to be clear, this particular situation may have been nearly unavoidable. No one wears a life vest while walking a sandbar, and that likely won’t change, even after this. But the river’s unpredictability has certainly caught people’s attention. I’ve already seen boats for sale with owners saying things like, “My wife just doesn’t feel safe on the water anymore.” That breaks my heart. For me, the river has always been a place of peace—an oasis in a chaotic world. My wife doesn’t quite get it; to her, it’s just dirty water and giant fish. But for me, it’s where I grew up. It’s where I still find joy—duck hunting in the cold winter mornings, fishing through fall, spring, and long summer evenings. The river has helped me through more hard times than I can count.

If I could give one piece of advice to anyone spending time on the water, this: learn how to be safe. Don’t just follow the law—go beyond it. Educate yourself about different types of life vests and make safety a personal priority. I primarily run 16–18 foot aluminum “tin boats,” usually with two or three people aboard. I keep three high-quality Type V auto-deploy life vests on board—not just for safety, but so my passengers feel comfortable wearing them. And if someone refuses to wear one? They don’t get on the boat. I won’t carry the weight of someone else’s disregard for safety.

When I’m duck hunting on icy mornings, everyone on board knows what to do in case of an emergency. I know I’m drawn to risky hobbies, but I also know I can control how I prepare for them. That’s the difference between recklessness and responsibility.

So please—do your research, take precautions, and enjoy everything God’s creation has to offer safely.