Cries for help lead to dad and son struggling in Wisconsin river. ‘Very lucky’

A father and son went into swift Wisconsin river water in an attempt to rescue their dog but then needed a rescue themselves, according to first responders and news reports.

Menomonee Falls Fire Chief Joe Pulvermacher said they received a call around 4:30 p.m. Aug. 11 about two people struggling to get out of the Menomonee River.

“It was some well-intended people trying to help out their pet, trying to get out from the current,” Pulvermacher said in a news briefing streamed by TMJ4. “I’m sure they didn’t necessarily want to be in the water, but eventually found themselves there and in distress.”

He said bystanders called 911 after noticing the father and son in trouble.

Among those bystanders was Donovan Boyle, who told WISN he heard the struggling pair’s “cries for help.”

“The first thing in my mind was, ‘How can I get this person out of the water?’” Boyle told the station.

Another witness, Bella Sciortino, told WDJT that people tried to help the father and son by grabbing logs and sticks and using them in their attempts to pull the two to shore.

When first responders arrived, they determined the victims were still conscious, but one had gone downstream, Pulvermacher said. Making matters difficult, the fire chief said, was the raging waters and conditions of the river

“This current is no joke,” Pulvermacher said. “This will drain your energy quickly, it will take your body temperature down quickly, and it makes it even more difficult to combat the pressures associated with the currents.”

Eventually, the crews managed to bring the father and son to shore, and both were taken to the hospital while still conscious. The dog, however, remained unaccounted for, according to the fire chief.

The rescue was good news for Boyle, who thought one of the victims had drowned in the river, according to WISN and WDJT.

“We have two very lucky people,” Pulvermacher said of the father and son.

Menomonee Falls is about a 15-mile drive northwest from Milwaukee.

This story was originally published August 12, 2025 at 11:14 AM with the headline "Cries for help lead to dad and son struggling in Wisconsin river. ‘Very lucky’."