A riveting new video captures the heart-stopping rescue of a family of three who found themselves stranded in Michigan’s wilderness for three grueling days. The family had lost their way while tubing along a challenging stretch of the river.
The dramatic footage shows heroic efforts by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and a skilled Michigan State Police K-9 unit as they successfully tracked down Jazman Hock, her cousin Sarah Vida, and Sarah’s spirited 9-year-old son, Kayden Kovalcik, on August 8. The trio became marooned after their tubing adventure on the Muskegon River took an unexpected turn.
The video also captures the tense yet hopeful moments as determined state troopers and resource personnel zeroed in on the lost family. “Make some noise… Yell!” instructed a rescuer, urging the family to signal their presence amidst the dense wilderness surroundings.
Navigating through the dense forest and overgrown grass, the rescuers pressed on, calling out to the trio until finally, they reunited with the relieved family.
Just days before, Jazmin Hock and her relatives were enjoying a leisurely tubing outing on Michigan’s scenic Muskegon River. That is, until their water crafts gave way, leaving them stranded amid the river’s daunting terrain for three long days. (Aleshia Wood/iStock)
One of the women was cut up and wearing a bathing suit while Kovalcik was shirtless. The group had been water tubing on the Muskegon River when their rafts, which were only meant to be used in a pool, broke apart and left them stranded, Jazman’s mother, Teresa Hock, told WWMT.
The family can be heard telling their rescue team what happened.
“We got lost on the river,” the shirtless Kovalcik explained.
“We went to the river, and we were on the river for four hours,” he continued.
Michigan State Police rescue 9-year-old Kayden Kovalcik along with his mom and aunt after the trio were stranded for three days. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
The rescuers appeared audibly shaken, as one exasperated “oh my God” multiple times. Another hugged one of the two women, repeatedly telling her, “good job, good job.”
It’s unclear which of the two women he’s speaking to, but one rescuer tells her, “let’s have you sit down, you are cut up. You’re not going to be able to walk very good, are you?”
“I’m forcing myself,” she replies.
A Michigan rescuer hugs a woman who had been missing for three days after getting lost with her family on the Muskegon River. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)
While the trio had packed protein bars and water, they gave all the food to the young Kovalcik, Hock told WWMT, while the two women survived on flowers, bark and ants.
“We are relieved to report that Jazman Hock, Sarah Vida, and Kayden Kovalcik have been located alive and safe. This is the outcome everyone involved had hoped for. We are incredibly grateful for the tireless efforts of the many law enforcement agencies, fire departments, emergency responders, search and rescue teams, and volunteers who dedicated countless hours to this search,” Michigan State Police said in a post on X.
“Jazman, Sarah, and Kayden were located safe by an MSP K-9 team and Michigan DNR Conservation Officers approximately three-quarters of a mile northeast of the Mill Iron Rd Boat Launch at 4:36 pm. It was truly remarkable to see so many highly trained professionals from multiple agencies come together by establishing a Unified Command, share resources, and work as one team toward a common goal,” the post concluded.
News Media contacted Michigan State Police and Michigan Department of Natural Resources for further comment.