FISHERS, Ind. --
A man was pulled from the icy waters of Geist Reservoir early Monday morning thanks to a 911 call from a man who heard the victim's distress call and the diligent work of rescue crews.
Shawn Keneally, who lives near the water's edge on Bridgewater Road, just off Brooks School Road and Fall Creek Road, heard the man's screams for help at about 7 a.m. and called 911.
"I was loading my car up for work, and I heard 'help,'" Keneally said. "I saw a guy sitting there submerged … You could tell he was scared and nervous. I was probably more scared and nervous than he was."
Through Keneally's phone, the man in the reservoir's pleas for help could be heard clearly during the 7-minute 911 call.
"It's getting really, really cold," the man said as Keneally yelled words of encouragement at the behest of the 911 dispatcher.
"Stay calm, sir, I'm trying to get you help," Keneally said.
Within minutes, the Fishers Fire Department and other emergency responders arrived at the scene.
"One of the neighbors here heard somebody calling for help and called us right away," said Fishers fire Capt. Ron Lipps. "Within 12 minutes of us getting here, we were able to get the victim out of the water."
The man was about 100 feet from shore and that the rescue was made more difficult because the ice, which is about 2 inches deep, kept breaking under rescuers.
"I crawled out there as far as I could," said Fishers Firefighter Seth Johnson. "All of the ice started giving way. It took a little bit long to swim there."
Lipps said it's generally not safe to be on the ice unless it is at least 4 inches thick.
"Not a good day to be out ice fishing, obviously," Lipps said. "Even the middle of the reservoir is thawed out right now."
Details of the condition of the rescued man weren't immediately released, but he was talking to rescuers the entire time and was taken to Methodist Hospital.
Another man was seen ice fishing on Geist as the rescue was taking place.
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