A 23-year-old hunter lost his life in a heartbreaking accident while trying to rescue his dog after it fell through a frozen pond in Clinton County, Illinois.
Everyone who’s ever been out on thin ice knows just how treacherous and dangerous it can be, especially if you don’t have the right gear with you.
But sometimes there’s no time to think or plan when an accident strikes.
Luke Kitterman, who was on a goose-hunting trip with five friends on January 26, 2026, rushed to save his loyal companion when the ice gave way, sending the dog into the icy water.
On his first attempt, Kitterman crawled across the fragile surface and successfully pulled the dog out. But when the animal slipped back in on a second try, the young hunter also plunged beneath the ice, vanishing from sight.
“They were able to pull the dog out of the water and into a canoe, just unfortunately lost sight of their friend,” Peyton Matthews of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police told KSDK.
Despite immediate rescue efforts by Kitterman’s friends, he never resurfaced. First responders from multiple agencies, including divers, launched an extensive search that began around 3 p.m. Monday.
But as night fell and temperatures dropped further, the ice thickened over the hole they had cut, forcing rescuers to shift to a recovery mission.
“As the night went on and the sun went down, the temperatures only got colder,” Matthews said. “The ice is about three inches thick… once we started to drop in temperature, the ice began to freeze over where we had created a hole for the divers to go in.”
Search efforts resumed Tuesday morning, with roughly 30 personnel using divers and 360-degree sonar to comb the pond, which spans about four acres and reaches depths of 18 to 34 feet. Around 6 p.m., Kitterman’s body was finally recovered, while his friends remained at the scene in grief.
The tragic story has resonated deeply with animal lovers, highlighting the extraordinary bond between humans and their pets. Kitterman’s selfless act saved his dog’s life, though it cost him his own.
This brave young hunter will be remembered not only for his love of the outdoors but for the courage and devotion he showed to his furry companion in a life-or-death moment.
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