On the afternoon of Sunday, September 3rd, rangers, Texas Parks and Wildlife officers and divers from Silsbee FD recovered the body of a 24-year-old man who drowned in Village Creek. The creek, a tributary to the Neches River that is less than two hours from Houston, is one of the most popular canoeing streams in Texas. It’s also the park’s most visited area. The victim and 18 other college men, all from India, had rented canoes for a daytrip on the creek. When they stopped to play in the water along a sandbar, all removed their lifejackets even though only two of the 19 men could swim. About six of the non swimmers stepped off into a deep hole and began to panic when they realized that the water was over their heads. The Acker family of Houston was eating lunch on the sandbar at the time. Melanie Acker, 16, who had just completed Red Cross lifeguard training, realized that the men were in trouble and went to their assistance. She extended a canoe paddle to them from chest deep water and was able to pull four to safety. A fifth man was rescued by another member of the group. It was some time after they’d reassembled on the beach when they realized that one of their group was missing. They then called 911 and reported the drowning.
