2 Brothers Die After Falling Through Thin Ice, Teen Miraculously Survives (Video)

tragic accident unfolded on a Michigan lake when two brothers died after falling through thin ice, authorities reported.

The Kalkaska County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called just before 11 p.m. on Friday, December 6, to Island Lake, near Island Lake Road and Dockery Road, after a person was heard yelling for help on the frozen lake.

Officials determined that a 22-year-old man, later identified as Johnathan Brake, and two boys, ages 13 and 14, had fallen through the ice. Remarkably, the 14-year-old managed to crawl out of the broken ice and call for help. Brake’s girlfriend, who had gone searching for the group, heard the boy’s cries and alerted authorities.

Deputies found the 14-year-old on the ice and rescued him. He was taken to the Kalkaska Memorial Health Center, where he was treated and released.

Brake was pulled from the water around 11:40 p.m., but despite life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead at the hospital. The 13-year-old boy, Brake’s younger brother, was found the following morning in seven to eight feet of water.

The rescue operation was extremely challenging, according to Kalkaska Township Fire Department Captain Kyle Jenkins. He told UpNorthLive, “It was such long distances. We didn’t have ropes tied to us. We didn’t have ropes tied to sleds. We didn’t have a sled with us some of the time. We’re in flotation suits, but making our way along that shoreline, you’re falling through that thin ice, you’re knee deep in mud trying to climb back onto the ice.”

Following the tragedy, the Whitewater Township Fire Department posted a warning on Facebook, noting that the incident serves as a reminder that ice conditions remain unpredictable. “No ice is safe ice, especially near inlets, outlets, or moving water,” the department advised. “Please stay off the ice and keep children and pets away from shorelines.”

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The community is mourning the loss of Brake and his younger brother, while also recognizing the courage of the teen who survived and called for help. Authorities continue to urge extreme caution on frozen bodies of water as winter conditions persist.