Cape Girardeau Fire Department personnel help canoers after mishap in Mississippi River

Frank Lachinski's boat sits at the bottom of the Cape Girardeau river wall after they were rescued from the Mississippi River on Friday, Aug. 23.

Nathan Gladden ~ ngladden@semissourian.com

The Cape Girardeau Fire Department responded to a report that a canoe hit a buoy and dumped the two passengers in the Mississippi River on Friday, Aug. 23.

Cape Girardeau Fire Department battalion Chief/fire marshal Drew St. John said after responding with rescue boats and having people staged along the river to spot the passengers, they had a person talking to one of the passengers, Frank Lachinski, as he floated down the river. He said Lachinski and his canoe were picked up by one of the rescue boats.

St. John said the other passenger was pulled out of the water by a person passing by between Broadway and the Red Star access.

Frank Lachinski and his daughter Nicole Maves stand together downtown after getting rescued by the Cape Girardeau Fire Department on Friday, Aug. 23.

Nathan Gladden ~ ngladden@semissourian.com

St. John said this was probably the biggest rescue they’ve had in 2024. He said this particular event was a bit newer to them since they usually respond to someone fling off a river bank or a free-floating boat without power.

St. John said a big when boating in the area is that the river does have very strong currents. He said when they were rescuing Lachinski he was very “calm” as he was floating down the river and could clearly communicate with them.

He said for people who are out on the river to make sure they wear their personal floatation devices and educate themselves about the dangers of the river.

Cape Girardeau Fire Department personnel release a boat from the dock at the Red Star Access to rescue the two canoers who tumped over into the Mississippi River on Friday, Aug. 23.

Nathan Gladden ~ ngladden@semissourian.com

Lachinski and his daughter, Nicole Maves, were canoeing in support of the not-for-profit Stop Soldier Suicide. Lachinski said, as a Vietnam veteran himself, he thought he would do something in support of the cause which is why he started canoeing in the Mississippi River starting in Minnesota and paddling to the Gulf of Mexico.

“Last year I got as far as Chester, Illinois,” he said. “I'm gonna finish it up this fall. I should be done. I'm hoping the middle of October.”

Lachinski said since the accident he said the mission is “absolutely” still going forward. Lachinski said his first thought when they hit the buoy was “Oh, crap.” He said while he tried to paddle towards the shore while pulling their canoe he still couldn’t get there because of the river’s current but said his daughter was able to get to shore.

He said after paddling so far on the trip that was the first they had actually taken a “dip” in the water.

“I’m not new in the canoe. I’m pretty new about running into buoys though,” Lachinski said.

He said he really appreciates the help from the fire department and is glad someone called it in. Lachinski said what keeps him going and paddling is what he’s fighting for in terms of gaining more awareness and stopping soldiers’ suicide.

“My message is to military personnel that are in a suicide crisis situation, don't give up. Call. There's help out there. One of the problems with mental illness is no one wants to talk about it,” he said.