A 21-year-old boating enthusiast named Jarrett Burkhalter is being hailed a hero today for saving the lives of an elderly couple whose boat nearly burned and sank off the waterways of Detroit, MI.
What was originally supposed to be a boat trip to pay a visit to his favorite island to relax turned into a rescue mission.
After pulling out of Gibraltar’s Humbug Marina in Detroit, he ended up hearing a loud explosion.
When he got around the corner, he saw a burning boat sitting in the water, bursting into flames.
He then started hearing cries for help, according to an interview he did with 7 News Detroit.
“I flung my boat around here, I put my nose against the side of his boat,” said Burkhalter.
Once he got to the boat, that’s when he located an elderly couple who was on board.
Last Thursday, 21-year-old Jarrett Burkhalter was pulling out of Humbug Marina in Gibraltar, getting ready to take his boat to his favorite small island and relax, when he heard a loud boom. https://t.co/9ildUAbm3Y
— FOX 17 (@FOX17) October 17, 2024
“They were shaken up,” stated Burkhalter. “The guy said he just filled the tanks up too, so when I heard that I said ‘we gotta get off.’”
Burkhalter went on to explain that he immediately helped the couple get off the boat and placed back on the dock. Both were fortunately unharmed. They have since reached out to Burkhalter to issue him a ‘thank you’ for saving their lives.
And here’s what makes this story even better: Burkhalter ended up making it to his island after everything and enjoyed the views with “a nice cold beer.”
A nice cold one is certainly the least he can enjoy for his heroics!
According to the report, there’s also preparations currently happening to honor Burkhalter with a citizens award.