Illinois Kayaker Drowns After Being Attacked by a Swan
- Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:10am by
Scott Baker
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DES PLAINES, Ill. — An Illinois man drowned in a pond after falling off his kayak when a swan attacked him, with his death ruled an accident Sunday.
Anthony Hensley, 37, was working Saturday — as part of his job keeping geese away from a condominium complex near Des Plaines — when it is thought he got too close to a swan and it attacked him, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
The swan had been placed in the pond by the company Hensley was working for, in a bid to keep geese away.
Hensley was checking on the swan while in his kayak, but he capsized after the bird moved towards him.
Witnesses saw him come up to the surface a couple of times before he went under again and did not resurface.
He was pulled from the water by rescuers after about 45 minutes of searching, the Chicago Tribune reported.
He was taken in serious condition to Lutheran General Hospital where he died.
On Sunday, following an autopsy, Hensley’s death was ruled to be from accidental drowning, the Sun-Times reported.
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Comments (107)
mauijonny
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 3:07amSome of your comments are really apalling, especially about his wife. You know, you don‘t have to comment about every freakin’ thing that pops into your brain cell. Plus, you give this site a bad name (I get that many of you are intentionally trying to). Anyways, boys, how ’bout you keep your mouths shut, at least until both your nads fall. Idiots.
Report Post »ChuckSammich
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:19amLike Maui Wowee, or just plain little Jonny? Ditto there big guy. You should change your moniker to swan of reason or something more apropos to being the only adult on the thread. Perhaps the lesson here could be don’t spend so much time on a really hipster doofus flavor savor soul patch when the Y teaches people how to swim daily.
Report Post »mauijonny
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 3:00amYou all must be from huffnpuff. We already know you all are sick – no need to prove it here.
Report Post »Paul
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 2:54amEven the Swans are evil in Illinois…
Must be something in the water, pun intended.
Prayers to the Family….
Report Post »Mary Just
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 3:19amEven the swans are evil in Illinois , thats great hahahaha
Report Post »Salamander
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 2:26amWater temp is likely a factor–not great to take an unplanned dunking this time of year!
Report Post »R.A. Bullseye
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:56amI don’t understand…..I have been capsized out of my kayak before and I swam to shore….Maybe he couldn’t swim.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 2:12amHe could’ve pulled a muscle in the process. Ever cramp a calf muscle while swimming? I have once, thankfully in a pool. You can’t use your legs and must stay up with your arms. Difficult to do if you have a long swim.
And BTW…Swans are pretty, but MEAN. Very territorial. I see why they use them to keep other fowl away.
Report Post »littlechi
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 3:38pmI understand he was a good swimmer. Maybe his boots he had on in the kayak got stuck when he went over and he could not get out of it.
Report Post »R.A. Bullseye
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:55amDude….the guy is dead and that’s all you can say?
Report Post »chips1
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 10:27amHe just put another feather in his cap.
Report Post »IndyGuy
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:46amIt was his swan song…May he rest in Peace…
Report Post »FROTHYDISCHARGE
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:27amyou are forever attached to that comment
Report Post »otmonger
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:19amI suspect this guy was a amateur kayaker.
Report Post »Skrewedretiree
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:37amI think you are right. Kayaks are NOT canoes, and if you do not know how to deal with them, you can get into serious trouble, as this individual found out too late.
Report Post »confederacyofdunces
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:16amI noticed them too, I guess its natural for men to do and really difficult not to look into those eyes when having a conversation.
Report Post »cookcountypatriot
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:13ami pray for this mans children and family…may he be in paradise this day
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:54amAmen.
Report Post »Auntie izlam
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 4:17amYou mean heaven, don’t you? I thought paradise was strictly for muslims.
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 6:04am@ Auntie….try familiarizing yourself with say the Bible passage of Jesus’ response to thief on the cross “ today thou shall be with me in paradise”…..
Report Post »Brasil2520
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:05amCATB
Good to hear from you again, its been about a year since I wrote on the Blaze, last year they started removing posts or just not posting what I wrote, I miss “The Big Pickel” and “GUTTMITUNS” haven’t seen them post anymore, real loss they are good people, but we still got TECH11 so the world is still safe.
About the story, yeah the second picture WOW ! If only I was 20 years younger, today I get back pain just looking at those, mmmmm
Report Post »G.E.R
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:05amThe only thing funnier than this was how the inventor of the Segway died
Report Post »Mr.Fitnah
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:02amPut his pic next to Micheal Obama that wlil convince me he isn’t gay. [roll]
Report Post »Mr.Fitnah
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:00amYou can C/P his pic anywhere it will not help.
Report Post »trueamerican40
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:59amTragedy indeed. That’s the problem though–you can’t hunt these things anymore due to all the rules and regulations…don’t think one could eat a swan anyway. If I were the family–this swan would be 45′d as a memorial and stuffed.
Report Post »fawlty
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 2:08amThe swan was not the issue here. Either he took his own life and this is the story for insurance or he couldn’t swim. Even if your kayak was sunk (doubt it was) …you could swim underwater ….coming up for air only when needed till you got to shore. It was a pond at an apartment complex…not lake Michigan. Wouldn’t have to go too far.
I would have just ignored it’s futile attacks unless I felt like grabbing onto it and pulling it underwater. Although…would like to see a flock of swans try to knock me over in a kayak to begin with.
Report Post »Mr.Fitnah
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:57amAlways sad when a liberal is beaten to death …. Realllly?
Report Post »I didnt know there was this level of sissy.
macpappy
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:51amA sad thing, and receiving the Darwin Award won’t help.
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:44am‘Don’t tread on me’, sayeth the swan.Their impulses and instincts are much different than ours. A tragedy, indeed.
Report Post »whatthecrazy
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:40am1001 ways to die.How tragic that such a beautiful animal could be involved in this mans death.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:39amCondolences to the family and friends ..it is so sad that this young man lost his life. Rest in Peace and God be with the family.
Perhaps people should not try “manage” wild animals …even birds. Geese and swans can be very mean … would not want to face one on the water.
btw ..waiting to hear what the guys are going to say about the second picture .. and the obvious floation devices…. you know you are thinking it!
Report Post »neiman1
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:36amFirst, I know this is serious because a man is dead. Second, I know the world will attack me for finding humor is a man’s demise, but this is beyond irony. A swan was place in a pond to keep out the geese. A man is being tasked with checking on a swan. A man flips his kayak because the swan drew near him and then he drowns.
This is unbelievable. I will have to admit I find it hilarious. This cannot be a real story
Report Post »G.E.R
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:01amYou‘re not alone I think it’s hysterical
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:27amThe poor guy didn’t know the pecking order. He found out. Many regrets.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 2:22amGet near a swan in water—even if by land—and I will laugh while it chases your ass away…Try it. I dare you.
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 2:27amAs sad as this is. This story reads like a old SNL skit with Mr Bill.
Report Post »HTuttle
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:36amSounds like he was kayaking without a life jacket.
Report Post »There’s a word for that, but you already used it in the headline.
CatB
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:42amThe woman in the white suit .. has her “floation devices” with her at all time .. Yes he should have had a lifejacket .. doesn’t sound like he did.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 2:16amVery true. I go out on a pontoon boat with friends over summer holidays and free swim w/out a jacket…but we have friends to look out for one another. Self kayaking without one…It’s a gamble…like another comment I posted, get a cramp…and you can’t swim.
Report Post »HorseCrazy
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:34amawful. prayers to his family. The only use I have for birds is on my dinner plate. Geese and swans are flat out mean and dirty.
Report Post »spirited
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:21amHow awful.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:11amYeh… she has a really bad Boob Job!
Report Post »