Children who rescued two women are heroes

I purchased a cottage this year on South Shore Road in Dexter. This past Saturday morning my best friend Mary and I decided to take a kayak ride. She has a 12-year-old dog by the name of Riley that we placed a life jacket on and this became his first voyage.

Within five minutes the winds came up and the waters became very treacherous. I was about 300 yards from her when I realized the best thing was for me to head to shore. I saw her kayak being pushed straight up in the air, the paddle was forced up on the rocks, her little dog's life vest had been pushed off with the first wave, and she was being thrown against the rocks multiple times.

I was hysterical and frantic when I saw her kayak overturned and had gone under a small bridge area. I looked to my right and on top of the rocks there was my friend with her sweet little Riley in her arms. The first thing we did was hug each other and she asked me to take Riley while she went back for the kayak.

I grabbed Riley who was trembling out of control and trying to cough all the fluids he had just swallowed. I turned around and there were a number of beautiful children. I asked the girl if she could wrap a blanket around Riley and make certain he was OK. A young man by the name of Max with the face of an angel, small in stature but with an enormous heart, helped pull Mary out along with her kayak full of water. Max, knowing that Mary and I were OK at that point hopped on his bike and ran for help. Max's two other brothers or friends proceeded to assist me in getting my kayak out of the water and up to safety.

In this day and age when there is so much negativity you hear regarding kids today, I just need to tell the family, friends, town, county and schools, the Graham kids at 19894 South Shore Road are heroes. They came to the assistance of perfect strangers and helped rescue two women in distress who could have drowned along with a little dog named Riley. They are beautiful children. We will never ever forget them, and they are true heroes in my eyes. I say "God Bless each one of them" and thank you so very very much.

Lo and behold, that evening who stopped at our home to make certain we were doing OK — the Graham children.

Kathleen Burnham

Dexter