It was New Year’s Day, January 1, 1998. A window washer for many years at the Renaissance Building in Detroit, whose name is not available to this writer, woke up with the uncontrollable urge to go to Proud Lake. He called his son and insisted he go with him. The young man had planned to “hang out” with a friend, watch some football on TV, whatever, but they decided to humor his dad. This request was so unexpected and out of the norm, both young men were puzzled, but had no real problem going along.
When they went to get into “Renaissance Man’s” vehicle, he realized he had put one of his ropes in the car after work the previous day. He moved it off the seat, putting it in the back and mentally scratching his head. He muttered, “Why did I do that?” He said to his son and his friend, “I have never before put any of my work tools or equipment in this vehicle. I always lock them in the tool room at work. Why did I do that?”
It seemed as good an explanation as any was just that he was physically and mentally tired. He needed a break. This little day trip to the lake would be a nice change of pace.
As the three men got out of the vehicle and started to walk toward the lake they heard frantic screams. A woman’s voice was yelling “Help, somebody, please help. Please God, help us!" and "Help!”
They realized someone had fallen into the frozen lake. They saw the woman as she kicked a rail off the new fence, screaming all the time that someone was in the lake. The young friend pulled out his phone and called 911. “Renaissance Man” grabbed the rope, and they all ran to the lake. Two other men had just seemed to appear from nowhere and grabbed the fence rail, and the two of them had run the rail down to the bank and shoved it out for the stranded men to grab onto. By this time a second person had fallen in and a third was lying on the ice trying to help the two victims stay afloat in the swift moving water under the ice. With the arrival of the rope, and the extra help, the three victims were saved. About the time they were pulling them out, EMS arrived and took over. That is when he realized why he had put the rope in his vehicle after work the day before. Why he woke up with the irresistible urge to go to the lake. There was no doubt that at that point in time, they were exactly where they needed to be; with the only cell phone to call for help, and the only rope, and the manpower necessary to save these three lives. After one man was taken in for medical attention, and the other two were wrapped in dry blankets, sitting around the fire, someone said “where are the other two men? The two who brought the fence rail down and helped until the rope got here?” These two did not speak to anyone; they just quietly did what was necessary. One of the group said he had seen them, still walking together, side by side, heading across the lake toward the other side.
A visit to the office of the park rangers revealed that the only two cabins rented that weekend were the ones occupied by the party who had been involved in the accident. There was absolutely no one else in the park. “Renaissance Man” and his son and young friend saw no one else when they were coming in. The ice was still cracking around the broken area when the teenaged ice skaters of the group were hastily summoned to shore. Yet these two men were last seen walking, side by side, across the lake toward the other side.
Please Note: This is a true story. If you recognize yourself or anyone in this recounting, please get in touch with the author. She is very anxious to get the perspective of everyone with knowledge. She would very much like to be able to express thanks to “Renaissance Man” and his companions. Also, if you have any light to shed on the two men who appeared out of nowhere and helped with the rail, we would love to hear from you. These men were truly angels, whether or not they were in the physical body at the time.
This is the way the story was told to me. My daughter was the young woman, screaming for help, loudly crying out to God. She kicked the rail off the fence. Before she was put to the test of trying to pick up the heavy rail, help arrived in the persons of the two men who came out of nowhere, and left as suddenly. She did not see either face. When the young lady who had been pulled from the lake described the two men, they sounded exactly like the father in law and grandfather of the one who had been loudly calling out to God for help.
Both of these men had died in the seventies.
