Kayaker without life jacket dies on Caloosahatchee River
LEE COUNTY
A man was found dead after an incident along the Caloosahatchee River on Sunday afternoon. According to FWC, a 24-year-old man from Indiana fell into the water while kayaking.
” It’s tragic. I hate to hear it; I hate to see him. People, when they come here, should really wear life jackets,” says John Paeno, another kayaker.
According to FWC, the victim was not wearing a life jacket. “It’s a lifeline. That’s the bottom line,” says Paeno.
Battalion Chief Marc Mascarelli coordinates the Lee County Marine Emergency Response. He told WINK News that it’s encouraged to always wear life jackets in any type of water sport because you never know when your luck is going to run out.
“As a first responder, it’s really disheartening to find out that just putting one on could have made a difference that day for that person,” Mascarelli says.
Mascarelli raised a serious question, “They cost $50 to $60. But what is your life worth when it comes to wearing a life jacket? What is your life worth?
Experience can often be the best teacher. With 20 years of kayak rental experience, Paeno knows the importance of life jackets.
Paeno said, “I’ve been there by myself and things have happened. And if I didn’t have the right safety devices, or this, the right safety equipment, I would have been in trouble.
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