Man, Granddaughter Rescued from Capsized Kayak on Passaic River

A Basking Ridge man and his 4-year-old granddaughter were pulled from the swiftly moving current of the Passaic River Sunday by a Bernards Township police officer and Liberty Corner 1st Assistant Fire Chief Peter Aprahamian, as his daughter waited on the riverbank after managing to get her kayak out of the rushing water, police said.

Both rescuers risked their own safety by wading into the rushing waters to return the struggling kayakers safely to the shoreline, said Bernards police Chief Brian Bobowicz.

The chief said township Sgt. Glen Amerman had been called to the section of the Passaic River between Haas Road and South Maple Avenue after receiving a report of stranded kayakers at about 2:45 p.m. Sunday. When he arrived, Amerman found John Schulenberg of Basking Ridge and his 4-year-old granddaughter from Long Hill trapped in the center of the rushing river following the capsizing of their kayak, Bobowicz said.

Meanwhile, Molly Schulenberg, John Schulenberg's 20-year-old daughter, had managed to make it to the riverbank with her kayak, according to Bobowicz.

Amerman said he had pulled into the driveway of a Pond Hill Road home when he arrived, and headed down a steep embankment to see that the river was very swollen after heavy rainstorms within the previous two days.

"There were multiple large trees down across the river making channels of swift-moving water that had made crossing the river extremely difficult," Amerman said in the police report.

"John's kayak was pinned under the water under a tree behind them," Amerman wrote in the report. "John was unsteady on his feet, was trying to hold onto his granddaugher and was caught in the trees," Amerman recounted.

Amerman, who by that time had called for backup from multiple sources, said he was concerned that Schulenberg would lose his footing and the current would take both further down the river, heading toward trees and brush in which they could become entangled.

Handing off his weapon to a Long Hill officer, "I quickly took off the heavy parts of my uniform and entered the river," Amerman said he waded through chest deep water to get as close as possible to Schulenberg and the child.

At that point, First Asst. Fire Chief Peter Aprahamian from the Liberty Corner Fire Co. entered the water to provide assistance, the report said.

"Pete and I were able to tie a rope to the second kayak, and I pushed the kayak to John. John put his granddaugher into he kayak, and I pulled it back to me," Amerman said.

Aprahamian and Amerman removed the 4-year-old from the kayak and handed her to waiting rescue personnel, Amerman said.

"I sent the kayak back out to John so he would have a flotation device he could hold onto if the fast-moving water sent him down the river," Amerman wrote.

Schulenberg then held onto the kayak as Amerman said he guided him further down the river to an island closer to the bank, where he was able to get out of the river.

No injuries

All of the victims were checked by the Liberty Corner First Aid Squad and were found to have suffered no injuries, he said. The Liberty Corner Fire Company, Bedminster-Far Hills swift water rescue team and the Mobile Intensive Care Unit also responded to assist, Amerman said.

Bobowicz said he offered his compliments and praise for Amerman and Aprahamian's actions during the rescue. "They professionally faced dangerous and life-threatening conditions to save this multi-generational family. To say that I am impressed is an extreme understatement," Bobowicz said.