Michael was an eighth-grade student at Jamestown Elementary School in Jamestown, California, when he drowned in the swift-flowing Sullivan Creek off the Stent-Jacksonville Road near Jamestown, upstream from where the creek flows into Lake Don Pedro.
Although many generations have frequented the swimming hole without incident, the creek was flowing unusually swiftly for that time of year. Mike and four of his friends were chaperoned to the swimming hole by one of the boys' mothers shortly after school ended for the day. The boys ran excitedly into the creek and began swimming to a natural waterslide and ten-foot waterfall, leaving the mother behind. She called to them to wait, but her words were not heard above the noise of the flowing water. Unfortunately, Mike became pinned in a whirlpool below the waterfall.
Mike's friends and some older boys tried to rescue him with a rope and sticks, but the swift water pulled the objects from their hands. An ambulance was summoned, but in those days before cell phone were carried by all, help didn't arrive for a half hour. The boy's body was not recovered for three days although continuous effort was made by three teams of recovery specialists. Water had to be diverted and the current slowed using water-flow boards upstream.
Mike was a member of the "Jamestown Bandits" Little League baseball team. He was looking forward to attending high school in the fall.
Mike was survived by his sister, mother, grandmother, aunts and an uncle.
"There is no greater loss than the loss of a child." -- Randy Panietz, principal of Jamestown Elementary.
Although many generations have frequented the swimming hole without incident, the creek was flowing unusually swiftly for that time of year. Mike and four of his friends were chaperoned to the swimming hole by one of the boys' mothers shortly after school ended for the day. The boys ran excitedly into the creek and began swimming to a natural waterslide and ten-foot waterfall, leaving the mother behind. She called to them to wait, but her words were not heard above the noise of the flowing water. Unfortunately, Mike became pinned in a whirlpool below the waterfall.
Mike's friends and some older boys tried to rescue him with a rope and sticks, but the swift water pulled the objects from their hands. An ambulance was summoned, but in those days before cell phone were carried by all, help didn't arrive for a half hour. The boy's body was not recovered for three days although continuous effort was made by three teams of recovery specialists. Water had to be diverted and the current slowed using water-flow boards upstream.
Mike was a member of the "Jamestown Bandits" Little League baseball team. He was looking forward to attending high school in the fall.
Mike was survived by his sister, mother, grandmother, aunts and an uncle.
"There is no greater loss than the loss of a child." -- Randy Panietz, principal of Jamestown Elementary.
Michael was an eighth-grade student at Jamestown Elementary School in Jamestown, California, when he drowned in the swift-flowing Sullivan Creek off the Stent-Jacksonville Road near Jamestown, upstream from where the creek flows into Lake Don Pedro.
Although many generations have frequented the swimming hole without incident, the creek was flowing unusually swiftly for that time of year. Mike and four of his friends were chaperoned to the swimming hole by one of the boys' mothers shortly after school ended for the day. The boys ran excitedly into the creek and began swimming to a natural waterslide and ten-foot waterfall, leaving the mother behind. She called to them to wait, but her words were not heard above the noise of the flowing water. Unfortunately, Mike became pinned in a whirlpool below the waterfall.
Mike's friends and some older boys tried to rescue him with a rope and sticks, but the swift water pulled the objects from their hands. An ambulance was summoned, but in those days before cell phone were carried by all, help didn't arrive for a half hour. The boy's body was not recovered for three days although continuous effort was made by three teams of recovery specialists. Water had to be diverted and the current slowed using water-flow boards upstream.
Mike was a member of the "Jamestown Bandits" Little League baseball team. He was looking forward to attending high school in the fall.
Mike was survived by his sister, mother, grandmother, aunts and an uncle.
"There is no greater loss than the loss of a child." -- Randy Panietz, principal of Jamestown Elementary.
Although many generations have frequented the swimming hole without incident, the creek was flowing unusually swiftly for that time of year. Mike and four of his friends were chaperoned to the swimming hole by one of the boys' mothers shortly after school ended for the day. The boys ran excitedly into the creek and began swimming to a natural waterslide and ten-foot waterfall, leaving the mother behind. She called to them to wait, but her words were not heard above the noise of the flowing water. Unfortunately, Mike became pinned in a whirlpool below the waterfall.
Mike's friends and some older boys tried to rescue him with a rope and sticks, but the swift water pulled the objects from their hands. An ambulance was summoned, but in those days before cell phone were carried by all, help didn't arrive for a half hour. The boy's body was not recovered for three days although continuous effort was made by three teams of recovery specialists. Water had to be diverted and the current slowed using water-flow boards upstream.
Mike was a member of the "Jamestown Bandits" Little League baseball team. He was looking forward to attending high school in the fall.
Mike was survived by his sister, mother, grandmother, aunts and an uncle.
"There is no greater loss than the loss of a child." -- Randy Panietz, principal of Jamestown Elementary.
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We know not God's plan.
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