Page 205 - "Mississippi in the 1st Person" - Michael James Stone (Demo/Free)

Monday, Lyons hauled Stone and his kayaks back to the Mississippi, dropping him off below the
dam in Bemidji.

By Friday, Stone had paddled just beyond Cass Lake and was committed to finishing his run to the
Gulf of Mexico by late September or early October.

In deeper water, his two-kayak setup was working well, he said. When Stone reflects on the rescue,
he remembers seeing one of the officers breathing heavily and lowering his head as they reached
shore.

“They really worked it,” he said. “They were exhausted.”

Lori Stone said the DNR kept her in the loop throughout the ordeal. She was told at one point that
the state was ready to launch a helicopter to assist in the search.

“Praise the Lord he was OK,” she said. “I just feel very blessed by everyone’s help.”