Student Hailed For Rescuing Man From Drowning

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Reporter: Deb Farris
Email Address: deb.farris@kake.com

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A local man is recovering after a near-drowning over the weekend. The high school student who risked his life pulling him to safety is being called an international hero.

Marion High School senior Max Wagner arrived in the United States three weeks ago as an exchange student from Germany.

Over the weekend, Max saved Joe Willems from drowning.

It happened when Max, his host-father Ken Christensen and his brother-in-law Joe got their boat caught up in some rocks along the shore of Marion Reservoir. Joe was on the back of the boat trying to help.

"I didn't have a very good hold I guess, when he started the engine and put
it in gear it flipped me off I landed right in front of the prop," Joe said. "I landed right in front of the prop. It got me, it grabbed my shirt and twisted me right into it."

Caught in the boat's prop, Joe was drowning. That's when Max took action.

"I saw his hair and his hand, and I grabbed his hand so he could breathe,
the propeller was still running and that scared me," Max said.

Max dove into the water and pushed Joe to the surface so he could breathe. He then swam under the boat and tore Joe's shirt from the prop.

The prop ripped the skin on Joe's chest, tore through his arm to the bone and nearly severed his thumb. But thanks to Max, he's alive to tell the story and is expected to make a full recovery.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Jessi on Sep 8, 2008 at 11:17 AM
Meine Güte Max, du Held. Bald kennt dich die ganze Welt. Dein Englisch is ja auch megagenial geworden. Naja aber das is eher unwichtig, im Vergleich zu dem was du da gemacht hast. Respekt!

Posted by: Jan Location: Chemnitz on Sep 8, 2008 at 10:57 AM
greeze max echt geiles ding was du da abgezogn hast. sogar der fettsack schmidt'l fands ne schlecht^^. Grüße aus chemnitz flöha und kirchbach. Viel Spaß noch bei de amis ;)

Posted by: Mette on Sep 8, 2008 at 09:42 AM
Gruß Max, echt geil. Liebe grüße aus Flöha und Kirchbach xD

Posted by: Mary Lou Dunekacke Location: Rising City, NE on Sep 6, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Max, the entire AYUSA family throughout the United States is so proud of you and your heroism. You are the best!! We are so glad you are in Kansas and so happy to have a true hero in our presence!! Wishing you a fantastic year in the USA! Mary Lou Dunekacke Regional Manager

Posted by: Sunny Location: Marion KS on Sep 5, 2008 at 05:47 PM
Teagan!! Are you and your friends the ones who helped my brother on the lake? OMIGOSH I have been asking everyone, and nobody took any names!! All I could find out was that you all were from someplace else and were about to leave the area when this happened. I am Joe's sister, and I cannot express how thankful I am to you guys for your help. God bless you all.

Posted by: Teagan Location: Emporia, Ks on Sep 4, 2008 at 05:27 PM
Hey Max thats amazing what u did! I am so glad I got to meet you this last weekend at the lake. you are Awesome congrtulations! ttyl

Posted by: isa bastio Location: Germany on Sep 4, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Isa:"youre my hero!" basti:"good job, brother!!!"

Posted by: TR Location: Wichita on Sep 4, 2008 at 08:58 AM
Great job Max. Glad to have you here for a while. I hope you parents get to read this story too. They will be very proud of you like the rest of us here.

Posted by: Apap Regnaw Location: Ehurslrak on Sep 4, 2008 at 08:11 AM
Oh I´m so haughtily! Ipipscam, you are like batman!

Posted by: Mama from Max Location: Chemnitz/Germany on Sep 4, 2008 at 06:16 AM
mein lieber Max, du hast hier wirklich etwas ganz Außergewöhnliches geleistet, die Wertigkeit deiner mutigen Tat siehst du nun im Echo - genieße es , ich beobachte es als super-stolze Mutter aus der Ferne

Posted by: Hübls Location: Chemnitz on Sep 4, 2008 at 05:44 AM
Hallo lieber Max, Du bist über Dich hinaus gewachsen und hast eine echte Heldentat vollbracht: einem Menschen das Leben zu retten - es gibt nichts Größeres! Wir gratulieren Dir und sind mächtig stolz auf unsren Neffen!!!! Eine schöne (ruhigere) Zeit noch in Kansas wünschen mit ganz lieben Grüßen aus der Heimat Deine 4 Hübls!

Posted by: David Location: Munich/Germany on Sep 3, 2008 at 08:45 PM
Ey super des du mal im Fernsehen bist =) naja so schnell kann es gehen. hoffentlich haben die dich nicht zulange interviewt

Posted by: Max Wagner Location: Marion on Sep 3, 2008 at 08:17 PM
I just wanna thank Kake ABC 10 for the interview and hope that all can see and hear my unbelievable story :) best greetings, Max

Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 3, 2008 at 08:10 PM
Wow, amazing! What a wonderful miracle. That kid is a true hero

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