Two women and a 9-year-old boy survived after their tubes were damaged on the Muskegon River, leaving them stranded in dense woods.
TWIN LAKE, Mich. — Two women and a 9-year-old boy were found alive after spending about three days stranded in rugged western Michigan woods when their tubing trip on the Muskegon River went wrong, authorities said.
Sarah Vida, 28, her son, Kayden Kovalcik, 9, and Vida’s cousin Jazmin Hock, 28, were located Friday, Aug. 7, after an intensive search involving law enforcement officers, conservation officers and other emergency crews. The group had entered the Muskegon River earlier in the week and became stranded after their inflatable tubes were damaged while encountering logs and other debris in the river.
Body-camera video released by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources later showed the moment search crews reached the three in thick vegetation. Conservation officers had followed a series of clues, including footprints, broken twigs and flattened grass. An officer eventually heard the group’s calls for help, leading rescuers deeper into the wooded area where they had been waiting.
The group was found about 7 miles from where the tubing trip began, according to a conservation officer who took part in the rescue. Officials described the terrain as dense and difficult to cross, with vegetation high enough to block visibility in places. The three had tried to walk out after their tubes failed but became disoriented and found themselves moving in circles, according to accounts released after the rescue.
The family had only limited supplies. Kayden told rescuers they had eaten bark and flowers while they were stranded, and Hock said they drank river water. Their phone was broken or no longer usable by the time rescuers reached them, leaving them unable to call for help. Video from the rescue showed the family wearing swimsuits and appearing exhausted after days exposed to the wilderness.
The search began after relatives became concerned when the group failed to return and could not be reached. Arizona’s Family, citing WWMT and CNN Newsource, reported that relatives found Vida’s vehicle at the Maple Island Boat Launch. Authorities used drones, dogs, helicopters and ground teams during the multi-day operation. Searchers also located inflatable tubes and tracks that helped narrow the area being searched.
Michigan State Police Lt. Pat Agema said after the rescue that the group had been deep in the woods with little nearby to help searchers locate them. He described their discovery as remarkable. Two members of the group were unable to walk out on their own and were carried from the wooded area, while a rescuer carried Kayden on his back, according to officials and video of the operation.
All three were taken to a hospital for treatment after the rescue. Authorities said they were dealing with dehydration, exhaustion, scratches and insect bites. Earlier local reporting said Kayden was later released from the hospital, while the women continued receiving medical care. Hock was also treated again for an infection affecting her feet and legs, according to the family’s account.
The newly released body-camera footage provided a closer look at how rescuers finally located the family. Conservation officer Cameron Wright said search teams had been running out of places to look before they found evidence that led them toward the group. Officers could be heard calling through the woods before a response came from the family in the distance.
Michigan Department of Natural Resources conservation officers said the rescue involved tracking signs through difficult terrain and coordinating with other agencies already searching the river and surrounding land. Officials credited the combined search effort with finding all three alive after roughly 72 hours in the wilderness.
The three were safely removed from the woods and received medical treatment following the rescue. Authorities subsequently released video documenting the search team’s discovery, providing the latest public account of how the missing tubers were located.
Author note: Last updated August 12, 2026.