Army reservist saves boater stranded in Maumee River

Michelle Gilford who is enlisted with the Army Reserves didn t just think on her toes She thought clearly even under extreme pressure

She worked out a fairly sound yet still really dangerous rescue plan within seconds

A boat with a male passenger sailing the Maumee River near the Village of Grand Rapids on Wednesday had flipped over Michelle was nearby and sprung into action seconds later

The victim was part a group of three men floating down the Maumee River in an inflatable boat Their engine failed the boat started taking on water and flipped Two of the boaters swam safely to shore but the other one couldn t

His friends flagged down the next person to pull up at the intersection of River and Cross Creek roads which happened to be Michelle in her Northwestern Water and Sewer work truck

She went down the hill and saw the man hanging onto a life jacket in the water

My reaction was I didn t want him to die she said I didn t want him to drown The first thing I thought was I got to get out there and get him So I looked around for something to float on and there was a little seat cushion like a floating seat cushion so I put my arms through the cushion and I jumped in the water

She told the man to grab on and helped him back to shore just in time to see Wood County Sheriff s deputies pulling up to the scene

In the end the victim didn t even have to go to the hospital despite really cold water temperatures

Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn can t say enough for her quick-thinking and said not everyone could have made the same call safely

People should not do anything they are not comfortable with Sheriff Wasylyshyn said She is in very good condition she is in the reserves she is used to strenuous activity she felt very comfortable doing what she was doing and obviously there was a very happy ending

Michelle been associated with the Army Reserves for a decade

Before the actual rescue began Sheriff Wasylyshyn said she did the best thing that anyone can do -- she made sure someone called 9-1-1 so professionals could start heading to the scene