Spirit Lake, Iowa — The widow of 71-year old Wayne Krogman, who drowned while fishing at the Iowa Great Lakes, had an answer to her prayer Sunday, when the fishing rod her late husband was using the night of his death was returned to her.
Arlene Krogman had tried to get the word out, in every way she could think of, that a young man who had been fishing in the area had actually snagged and recovered her husband’s pole, but had taken it with him when he left the area. The appeal went out on KIWA radio, through Facebook, and by word of mouth, and the young man who found the pole, Colton Ruter returned it to her Sunday.
Krogman credited KIWA and Facebook for getting the word to Ruter that she was looking for him.
Krogman said she tried to return Ruter’s call, but got no answer.
She tells KIWA that Ruter’s employer had heard the story, and relayed it to him.
When we asked what it means to her to have the pole back in her hands, a very emotional Krogman said, “It means everything…..it’s the last thing Wayne touched.”
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Original post 8:50am 6/22/2018
Spirit Lake, Iowa — The family of a 71-year old Spirit Lake man who drowned while fishing near the spillway on the north end of East Okoboji on Wednesday, May 23rd, is trying to locate whoever found his fishing rod.
Arlene Krogman’s husband, Wayne, went fishing that night for the first time this season.
Mrs. Krogman says when her husband didn’t return home, she went to look for him.
She tells KIWA about how her husband’s body was discovered.
Mrs. Krogman tells us that some of the items her husband had with him that night have been recovered and returned to the family, but the fishing rod, despite being recovered, hasn’t made it’s way back home.
She says another fisherman provided a description of the person who recovered the fishing rod, as well as the vehicle he was using that night.
If you’re the man who recovered that fishing pole from the north end of East Okoboji on the night of May 23rd, or if you recognize that man’s description, Krogman asks that you please contact her, and make arrangements to return the pole to her family. Krogman is available by phone at 712-330-4077, or call the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office in Spirit Lake at 712-336-2793. She says you can even contact her through her FACEBOOK PAGE.
Mrs. Krogman says it’s very important to her and her family that her late husband’s fishing pole, the last thing he ever touched, be returned to them.
