News Release

Rangers Recover Deceased Kayaker from Jackson Lake

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News Release Date: July 24, 2018
Contact: Denise Germann, 307.739.3393

Grand Teton National Park rangers and Signal Mountain Lodge employees recovered the body of a deceased kayaker from Jackson Lake Monday night. The deceased is identified as Candice Miller Kwiatkowski, 36, of Driggs, Idaho.

At approximately 7:15 p.m. Monday, July 23, Signal Mountain Lodge employees found a single overturned rental kayak approximately 100 feet offshore in the Signal Mountain Marina. The kayak was unoccupied, but contained a personal flotation device and some personal items. The employees began to visually search the surrounding waters and found Kwiatkowski about 30 feet away under approximately 15 feet of water at approximately 7:30 p.m.   Three park rangers responded to the scene a few minutes later.

One ranger dove from a boat and attempted to swim back to the surface with Kwiatkowski, but was unable to do so. The ranger returned and wrapped a rescue rope around Kwiatkowski, and the rangers, along with Signal Mountain employees, were able to pull her back to the surface and into the boat. The rangers returned to the dock with Kwiatkowski.

Kwiatkowski was pronounced dead at 7:52 p.m. The body was transferred to the Teton County Coroner.

The incident continues to be under investigation, though initial indications are this was an apparent death by suicide.

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