Dive Team Recovers Man's Prosthetic Leg From Sunrise Lake In Milford Township

MILFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) -- The Oakland County Sheriff's Office Dive Team saved a valuable possession this month -- an $80,000 prosthetic leg.

Officials say authorities were called when Brandon Smith lost his leg while floating in Sunrise Lake in Milford Township with his 6-year-old son.

According to the sheriff's office, who shared the story on Facebook and Twitter, the prosthetic leg plunged to the bottom of the lake, nearly 50 feet below.

Smith's father-in-law, Tim McIntosh, said he tried to retrieve it but couldn't get it. McIntosh and his wife then called the sheriff's office.

The Oakland County Sheriff's Office Dive Team saved a valuable possession this month -- an $80,000 prosthetic leg. (credit: Oakland County Sheriff's Office)

The dive team used GPS coordinates provided by the family and spent about 40 minutes identifying the location. The leg, which was still in good shape, was recovered within 10 minutes and returned to Smith.

"They were so professional. They were so good. It was a wonderful experience," McIntosh said.

Smith has had the prosthetic leg for a month after going through 17 surgeries to repair his leg, which was injured when he fell from a tree while hunting six years ago.

He took the prosthesis to a hospital to have it checked out and see how the incident could be avoided in the future.

"Our dive team does an amazing job in a variety of conditions and circumstances," Sheriff Mike Bouchard said in a statement. "In this incident, they were able to make a big quality of life difference for this gentleman who obviously would be greatly negatively impacted by the loss of his prosthetic leg. I'm proud of their work every day and especially in this circumstance."

© 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.