A Wisconsin dad faked his own death in a kayaking accident, apparently intending to start over. Now, he's breaking his silence about the incident.
The dad fled to Eastern Europe after leading his family to believe that he was dead. Ryan Borgwardt disappeared while on a kayaking trip in August. His family believed that he was dead after he didn't come home from the trip to Green Lake. However, authorities quickly realized that the dad has faked his death and fled the country.
Since then, they've been in contact with Borgwardt, who is at an undisclosed location in Europe. He revealed the exact way that he decided to fake his drowning. According to the Wisconsin dad, he overturned his kayak and then dropped his phone into the water. According to WYFF, Borgwardt planned ahead and had an inflatable boat ready. He used that to get to shore.
From there, he hopped on an electric bike and pedaled some 70 miles to the state capital. He then hopped a bus to Detroit, another bus to Canada, and then a plane overseas. Since November 11, Borgwardt has been in contact with the police almost every day.
Dad Flees Country
"I'm safe and secure, no problem," Borgwardt said in the cellphone video. "I hope this works." Authorities are happy he is alive but also upset with the fact that the dad left his family.
"The great news is we know that he is alive and well," Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll said. "The bad news is we don't know where Ryan exactly is, and he has not yet decided to return home."
If he returns home, authorities could charge him with obstructing the investigation. Right now, they're trying to get him to consider his family and the emotional toll that he's putting them through. "Christmas is coming," Podoll said. "And what better gift could your kids get than to be there for Christmas?"
He went missing on August 12 after authorities found his kayak and lifejacket at the lake. They also came across his car as well. Initially, they believed that he had drowned in the lake. However, a further investigation made them realize he had been talking with a woman from Uzbekistan.
