Carman Valley Leader
A group of Manitobans including a Carman pizza business owner were honoured for their valiant attempts to save others from drowning.
At an event Tuesday night in Winnipeg at Government House, the Lifesaving Society – Manitoba branch will give the Rescue Commendation Award to four individuals.
“It’s tremendous that they’ve put themselves in some form of danger to try to save someone,” said Carl Shier, CEO of the Lifesaving Society.
A national selection committee chooses the award recipients, based on the circumstances and risks involved and not on whether or not the rescue attempt was successful, said Shier.
And Carman’s Brent Stoesz, 38, is one of the recipients of this year’s awards.
On May 20, Stoesz, who operates Niakwa Pizza in Carman and also teaches scuba diving, had just returned from the water at West Hawk Lake with a couple of students.
He heard noises coming from the lake. Recognizing two divers were in trouble, he called for help, then put his diving gear back on and swam out to try to save the men, both of whom were strangers to Stoesz.
The first man appeared safe but the second had slipped underwater and Stoesz dove under to try and find him. Plunging to more than 50 feet, he searched for the missing diver.
“I was looking for a cloud or anything under the water,” said Stoesz. “You can’t waste any time.”
After spotting a dive knife, Stoesz found the 52-year-old man at the bottom of the lake and brought him to the surface, where a number of other rescuers attempted to resuscitate him after pulling him onto a pontoon boat.
Despite everyone’s efforts, the man didn’t survive.
Stoesz heard later the man may have had a heart attack, along with other complications, which contributed to his death.
Stoesz explained that while he was honoured to receive the award, he also feels very bad for all those affected by the diver’s death.
Brent Stoesz, a Berliner Kehler – son of Joyce (Kehler) & Corny Stoesz, is the owner/operator of Niakwa Pizza in Carman, Manitoba.
Nice picture of the diver and glad you found the story.