Small Town Hero Dies; Bigger Town Leader's Dissemble

[Edie Lindsey]

 

LUDINGTON — Anthony Goldsmith Jr said his father would always help other people, regardless of the circumstances. That’s the kind of man he was.

 

On Sunday afternoon, Anthony Goldsmith Sr., drowned in Lake Michigan after helping two other swimmers off the shore of a beach in Ludington.  Goldsmith’s body was recovered at about 6:45 a.m. Monday after washing ashore on Stearns Beach.

 

Goldsmith, 44, of Lawton, near Paw Paw, was an independent contractor at Roy’s Home Center in Gobles for more than 20 years, his son said.

 

Goldsmith and his younger son, 17-year-old Ryan Goldsmith, decided to go to the beach for the day while visiting his parents in Bitely, about an hour east of Ludington.

 

Goldsmith and son were at Stearns Beach at about 3:30 p.m. when the water suddenly became choppy, said Goldsmith Jr., who talked to his brother after the incident.

 

“They were at a relatively safe part of the beach,” Goldsmith Jr. said.

 

The father and son went into the lake to help pull a young boy and an older man who were struggling in a rip current.

 

After the two swimmers were safe, Goldsmith Jr. said his brother saw waves sweep their father away.  Goldsmith went under the water and failed to resurface.

 

Goldsmith Jr. said his father’s actions were consistent with how he lived his life — always trying to help others.

 

“If he had the chance, he would have done it over again,” the son said.

 

Goldsmith was a great father a great husband, his son said.

 

In addition to his two sons and parents, Goldsmith is survived by his wife, Sue, and two stepchildren, Paul and Karen Degraaf.  (Courtesy of The Kalamazoo Gazette)

 

 

One week after his untimely death, I cannot help but feel ashamed.  This man brought his son into Ludington for an afternoon of swimming while visiting his parents in Bitely.  He chose Ludington's Stearn's Park other than closer Lake Michigan beaches at Pentwater, etc. for some reason.  Perhaps it was because of the successful lifeguard program that had been at Stearn's Park for so long.  Lifeguards and warning flags/signs that were not there when he arrived.  We may never know. 

 

We may never know how much he knew about that day's dangerous rip currents, which affected the two swimmers he went out to help... and wound up killing him. 

 

Even though I had nothing directly to do with cutting the lifeguard program I feel as if I still have his blood on my hands for not more vigorously defending it when the leaders of this city unanimously gutted this program in a totally gutless manner. 

 

I extend my most heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the Goldsmith family at their loss of this wonderful man.

[XLFD]

Well, this morning they finally found the body; at least the friends and family of Anupam can have a proper funeral. We have lost two kings in Anthony and Anupam, so maybe we can lose those two black knights you mentioned in the near future, Aq.

Since the City Government is still not talking about any real solutions to the problem, I encourage the families of these two fine people, our visitors who became drowning victims, to hold them accountable. Rest in peace, one and all.