News

Actions

Two die as car nearly submerged in Waterford Township pond

Posted at 11:39 AM, Aug 21, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-21 20:20:50-04

WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — A tragedy in Waterford has left a local family without two of their loved ones.

Just before 11am on Wednesday morning, Lloyd Syron says he was with his 82 year-old wife Mary and his daughter, Maureen. He says they'd just left a doctor's appointment and went to Maureen's place at Saybrook Pointe condominiums in Waterford.

Syron says he left the car running because it was so hot and he wanted them to have air conditioning. He says he ran inside to grab some laundry while his wife and daughter stayed in the car, but when he came back outside a few minutes later, the car was in the pond.

Syron says he took off his shirt and pants and jumped in the water. He says he tried using a rock to break the glass, but couldn't.

That's when he ran up to the road and tried for almost ten minutes to flag someone down for help. Finally, a woman stopped and called 911 for him.

Waterford police and fire crews arrived quickly and used an ax to break the glass. They managed to get the women out of the car and rush them to the hospital, but Syron says his wife and daughter didn't make it.

Syron says he's not sure what made the car roll into the pond. Police say the car was left in drive. However, the investigation is still ongoing.

Syron says his daughter was disabled and both, she and his wife, needed a walker to get around.

Mary was the mother of 5 and Maureen leaves behind an 18-year-old son.

Neighbors say they're heartbroken for the family, but especially for Lloyd Syron who tried so hard to save them.

"This is the last thing we expected to wake up to today. She was a very sweet lady. God bless him. He's got to be beside himself," says neighbor Richard Farrell.

Margo Davis, who lives in that complex says, "It's just very sad .. losing both of them at the same time."

Even in their grief, the Syron family also wanted to thank the woman who pulled ove rto help. They say she's also a hero and they're grateful for what she did.