Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl recognized three city lifeguards who saved a capsized boater on the Evanston lakefront July 2.
David Altman, Jack Killheffer and Tudor Byas were just opening the lifeguard station around 9:30 a.m. that Tuesday when they heard a distress call.
They could only understand half of what the man was saying because every other word was garbled by the waves washing over his handheld radio.
They found the man near where his boat had sunk, about a mile and a half off shore, by following a trail of debris from the ship, like floating seat cushions, Tisdahl said. When lifeguards found the man, he was waving his arms and wearing a yellow life jacket.
The lifeguards brought the boater safely to shore, where he did not require hospitalization. Officials are still investigating the cause of the sinking.
Tisdahl commended the three lifeguards with plaques, and audience members at the city council meetings gave them a standing ovation.
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