WATCH: State Troopers Save Missing Autistic Man Who Fell into Icy Pond

Icy pond at night
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Amy Furr

An autistic man in desperate need of help was saved by Michigan State Police (MSP) troopers on Wednesday and the tense moments were captured on camera.

A caller informed troopers late that night the man had disappeared in the Groveland Township area after wandering away from a group home, the Detroit News reported Thursday.

Autism refers to different conditions regarding a person’s difficulty with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication, according to the Autism Speaks website.

“Because autism is a spectrum disorder, each person with autism has a distinct set of strengths and challenges,” the site read.

Officials were utilizing canines and helicopters during their search for the individual, but after a few hours were informed a person had fallen through ice on a pond nearby.

In a social media thread posted Thursday, the MSP Metro Detroit shared body cam footage of the ice rescue and described it as “intense.”

Dogs were heard barking and howling as officers walked through a wooded area. At one point, someone was heard yelling, “Help!”

An officer told the person to keep calling for him, assuring the individual he was on his way.

When troopers found the man in the water and suffering from hypothermia, one fell through the ice. But he was so determined to reach the man, he smashed the ice with his fists so he could continue moving forward.

The troopers eventually pulled the man out to safety on the nearby shore and the individual was transported to a hospital.

“A reminder that the man that fell into the water is expected to be ok. Also the two troops involved are also ok!” MSP Metro Detroit said in part four of its thread.

According to its website, the Michigan State Police’s mission is to give citizens the best law enforcement and public safety services in the state.

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