People who knew Doug Killingbeck say they aren't surprised he risked
his life when he saw a teenager in trouble on the river.

The 48-year-old tried to rescue John Przydatek, 16, of Harrison
Township after the canoe the teen was in capsized Saturday near the
base of the Huron River Dam in Milford. Both drowned in the choppy
waters, the Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office said Sunday.

John's family was making funeral arrangements Sunday.

John was canoeing as part of a trip with Knox Presbyterian Church in
Harrison Township, family spokesman Rob Ritts said.

John was a junior at L'Anse Creuse High School, was on the wrestling
team and liked camping.

"He touched a lot of hearts for the little bit of time he had on this
planet," Ritts said.

Michael Przydatek, John's father, said his son was looking forward to
getting his driver's license this summer and was an avid outdoorsman
who had been to Alaska.

A 16-year-old friend who was with John was cut and scraped, but was
able to make it safely to shore, Milford Police Chief Tom Callahan
said.

Killingbeck was described by family members and friends as a person
who would help anyone.

"He was without a doubt a selfless guy," his brother-in-law John Kilby
said. Family members said he knew the dangers of the water and that he
was taking a risk.

Killingbeck wore a life jacket, but the force of the water stripped it
off him, police said.

"He knew what he was getting into before he did it," Kilby said. "I'm
sure he probably envisioned: 'What if that was my kid?' "

The devoted father of Brianna, 15, and Natalie, 12, enjoyed spending
time with his family. Karen Killingbeck, his wife of 17 years, said
her husband was a Christian and never missed his daughters' events,
including dance, soccer, track, basketball and volleyball.

"He held the whole family together," she said.

Killingbeck had been canoeing since he was 17. In the mid-1980s, he
canoed the AuSable River Canoe Marathon as an amateur and placed
fourth, his family said.

"His passion was being out on the river on a canoe," Kilby said.

In March, he participated in the Klondike Canoe Race in Oscoda with Ed
Adams of Fenton, 77.

"Doug always looked out for the other person," Adams said.

Killingbeck loved the Huron River, and part of the reason the family
moved to Milford was to be close to it.

"He will always be a hero in our hearts," Karen Killingbeck said.