Marsalis Quintin Carter, 20, of Detroit, was posthumously honored by Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard for his courageous actions after he jumped into a lake to save a coworker from drowning.
Carter was honored on Wednesday (Aug. 7) as the sheriff presented a citizen citation to his mother, Daileen Carter, of Clinton Township, at the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office headquarters in Pontiac.
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The incident occurred on Taylor Lake on Saturday, July 20, morning. Officials say Carter, who was part of a moving crew assisting a resident with a move, drowned on July 20 in a private lake in Rose Township.
Officials say the crew asked to go on a pontoon boat with the owner while on break to relax and cool off with a swim.
Once inside the water, one of the crew members with a pool noodle struggled to stay afloat.
Carter, also in the water, assisted the crew member back to the boat.
A second crew member jumped in and began to struggle when Carter reentered the water and was able to help his coworker back to the boat.
Unfortunately, according to a witness, Carter, likely exhausted, went underwater and was lost despite attempts to save him.
Officials say divers from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team and the Southeast Michigan Dive Group searched for more than 13 hours.
Carter’s body was found 300 feet from shore in 35 feet of water.