HOLLY, Mich. (WXYZ) — A 36-year-old man is grateful to be alive after his snowmobile fell through the ice on Bush Lake in Holly, and he credits a good Samaritan with saving his life.
Watch Peter Maxwell's video report:
Adam Brewer said he was lucky to survive the terrifying ordeal that left him with moderate hypothermia, several broken ribs and bruised lungs.
"It was definitely by the grace of God. I got lucky yesterday," Brewer said.
Cellphone video captured the dramatic rescue as Wade Wines pulled Brewer from the icy waters after his snowmobile plunged through the ice.
"I saw him go in and didn't really think about it — I just started running over that way," Wines said.
Watch video of the rescue below:
On Sunday afternoon, Brewer was riding his snowmobile around the lake. He said he first checked the ice thickness as a safety precaution.
"Seven and a half inches in some places, eight inches in others. Talked to a couple of fishermen. Made a couple of safety laps," Brewer said.
But during one of those laps, Brewer knew he was in trouble.
"The left ski was starting to kick up a good amount of slush and I knew I was starting to get into some trouble," Brewer said.
That's when Brewer and his snowmobile plunged through the ice.
"At the very last second, the sled stood at around 12 o'clock and it took me straight under with it," Brewer said.
Wines, who was already outside, immediately jumped into action.
"I had my ice fishing float suit on and I had my safety spikes around my neck," Wines said.
Wines slid across the ice to give Brewer ice picks and a rope, then began pulling him from the frigid water.
"He was so cold and frozen that he couldn't really move much, so I kind of sprawled out to distribute my weight and got those in his hands," Wines said.
When Holly police arrived, Brewer was crawling back to shore. He was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for his injuries.
"Very grateful he was out on the ice yesterday," Brewer said.
Just days ago, when another snowmobiler went through the ice in Waterford, the Oakland County sheriff warned that no ice is safe ice. Brewer has his own message for anyone thinking about snowmobiling or fishing on ice.
Watch our report about the incident in Waterford below:
"I can tell you, never go alone. Always have a backup plan and always have somebody with you," Brewer said.
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