Ashley Lesniewski tends to one of the people whose boat capsized on Lake Palestine, as others who were rescued watch. (Courtesy photo)

LAKE PALESTINE – Nathan and Ashley Lesniewski believe they were put in the right place at the right time Sunday evening to save six people whose boat capsized from the churning waters of Lake Palestine.

Mr. Lesniewski said he and his wife had been out in one of the smaller bays just relaxing when they decided to head home for dinner.

When they came near a bridge, they saw a pair of men waving to them from the shore, yelling about a capsized boat. 

“Had it not been for them, I don’t know if we would have even seen the boat, because it was barely visible,” he said. 

Clinging to the submerging bow of the boat was a father and his three children, who were screaming for help. Thirty feet away, another man was drowning.

Mr. Lesniewski said he yelled at the children that they would be right there, but he and his wife both knew they had to act quickly to save the drowning man they know only as Chris.

“He was done and exhausted. His head kept going beneath the water, and he was losing the battle to get the next breath. He was drowning,” he said. 

Texas Game Warden Capt. Quint Balkcom said the Lesniewskis saved the man’s life and quite possibly the lives of everyone in the capsized boat. 

Balkcom said the family of six were traveling along on very rough waters near the bridge at Texas Highway 155 when a wave swamped the bow (or, front), stalling the boat, as another hit the stern (or, rear), stopping the motor. 

“At that point, another wave hit the boat and capsized it, throwing everyone into the water. The children and their father all had on life jackets, but two other men did not. One of those men was actually drowning when the couple pulled him out of the water,” he said.

Lesniewski said as they pulled the man named Chris out of the water. Lesniewski’s wife, a nurse practitioner, began working on him to stabilize him. 

“He was not in good shape. She got down there and was working on him and assessing his situation,” she said. 

Lesniewski said he maneuvered his boat to where the children and their father were clinging onto the tip of the bow, and got them safely on board. 

“That’s when they told us there was another guy. We went to the bridge and found the other guy hanging onto some old pole. He had pretty much given up any idea of swimming to shore,” he said. 

The couple got everyone to shore safely, and Noonday firefighters and EMS took over tending to the family. 

Balkcom said he was thankful the couple was boating nearby and were able to pluck the family from the waters. 

“Typically when we have something like this during a Lake Wind Advisory, like we had yesterday, the outcome is much different. This family is lucky this didn’t turn out the way it could have,” he said.

Balkcom said he hopes people will understand the bigger lakes can be as round as the Gulf of Mexico during high wind events, and that they will stay off of the water.

Balkcom said no one was seriously injured, but added the one man was transported to a local hospital for additional treatment while the others were treated at the scene. 

For the Lesniewskis, they do not believe it was a coincidence they were in the right place at the right time.

“We are both religious, and we know God led us to that point, and that the two guys saw the boat capsize as they were driving over the bridge and they stopped. We were probably the only boat remaining on the water when this happened. If we wouldn’t have been there, then who knows if anyone would have survived?” he said.