U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany credited God’s protection after escaping a sinking airplane and swimming to safety in a Wisconsin lake Saturday night.
Tiffany, a Republican running for governor of Wisconsin, was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner when the four-seat plane lost power near Wausau Downtown Airport.
“While returning home from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner, the plane I was traveling in lost power as we approached the Wausau Downtown Airport,” Tiffany wrote on X, according to Breitbart News. “The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau.”
The emergency landing happened shortly before 9 p.m., more than an hour after sunset. Tiffany, 68, and pilot Leonard Boltz, 73, were the only people aboard the Beechcraft Bonanza K35.
“After landing, we called 911,” Tiffany said. “As the plane began to submerge, we exited the aircraft and swam to a shallow area, where we waited until emergency responders reached us by boat.”
Order Abby Trivett’s New Book, “The Power of Suddenly” on Amazon.com!
The Marathon County Sheriff’s Office received the emergency call at 8:49 p.m. First responders reached Tiffany and Boltz by 9:05 p.m.
Both men were transported to Aspirus Wausau Hospital and treated for minor injuries.
Tiffany thanked the pilot, the Wausau Fire Department and other first responders for acting quickly. He also made it clear where he believes the ultimate credit belongs.
“God was watching over us tonight, and I am incredibly grateful to be here in the hospital with my wife, Chris, by my side,” Tiffany wrote. “An experience like this reminds you just how precious life is.”
Tiffany, a four-term congressman and member of the House Freedom Caucus, is the Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor. President Donald Trump has endorsed his campaign.
Democratic opponent David Crowley also expressed gratitude to God that Tiffany and Boltz survived, calling the pilot’s actions heroic.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
