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GROSSE POINTE CITY — A Grosse Pointe City woman who was trying out cold water therapy in Lake St. Clair was rescued by a Department of Public Works employee when she found herself struggling to get out of the lake.
Grosse Pointe City Public Safety Director John Alcorn said the woman wasn’t suicidal when she entered the water from one of the floating docks at the Neff Park harbor Nov. 30. He said DPW employee Nick Chimel, who works at the park, saw her go into the water and became concerned.
“She was OK,” said Alcorn, noting that the woman didn’t require medical attention. “She was going there for cold water therapy.”
Alcorn said Chimel leapt to the woman’s assistance when he saw that she was having difficulty getting out of the lake. He helped get her back on dry land.
While many people have been using cold water therapy for a variety of health reasons, Alcorn isn’t encouraging anyone to take a dip in Lake St. Clair.
“It’s definitely cold enough that you could get hypothermia if you were in there too long,” Alcorn said.
Anyone wanting to try cold water therapy — which Alcorn said has been showing up in many TikTok and YouTube videos — should only do so in the comfort and safety of their home.
“If anyone wants to try cold water therapy, they should probably talk to their doctor first,” Alcorn said.
