Kayaker's body found in Lake Michigan nearly 2 years later

BEULAH, Mich. — Nearly two years later, authorities believe the body of a missing kayaker has been found in northern Michigan.

Volunteers with high-tech equipment discovered a body Thursday in deep water in Lake Michigan's Platte Bay. Benzie County Sheriff Ted Schendel tells MLive.com "they're the heroes."

In 2016, Tyler Spink of Kalkaska was paddling with a friend on Labor Day when their kayaks capsized. They had started at the mouth of the Platte River in Benzie County. Spink's friend was rescued, but he disappeared below the surface.

Bruce's Legacy is a Wisconsin-based group of volunteers that helps families of drowning victims. It's named for Bruce Cormican, a firefighter in Black River Falls who died in 1995 while searching for a drowning victim.

Keith Cormican gave credit to Spink's mother, Kelly. He says she "wasn't giving up."