The Lake Wales police department is crediting one of their own officers and a woman for helping save a man who had gone overboard and couldn't swim back to safety.
Susan Craig was at her home near Lake Wales reading her bible when she hear a man calling for help.
"He was two houses over," she said, "calls out, 'help' really loudly, he says, 'help, I can't hold on much longer."
She quickly called police who got there within minutes.
Officers found 69-year-old Ronald Stokes trying to keep his head up from the deep water.
He'd flipped over in his kayak in Lake Wailes Park and his legs were caught in lilies and rope.
Officer Michael Waldron quickly took off his gear and jumped in with a knife and was able to save him.
"Our words are protect and serve," said Waldron, "that's what we do and i that requires me going in a lake to save someone and get them out that's all part of the job."
Police say paramedics took Stokes to the hospital. He is expected to make a full recovery.
