“She was spending her second night out in the blistering cold” 😰
On a freezing December day in Michigan, Matthew and Theresa Lyson, co-directors of the Michigan Duck Rescue and Sanctuary (MDRS), received a plea for help that would change their evening plans entirely. A message from Ed, a housing community manager in Caledonia, detailed a dire situation: a Pekin duck, trapped in a shrinking patch of icy water, needed urgent rescue.
A Frigid Predicament
Ed had spent the summer befriending two Pekin ducks in a nearby pond. As temperatures dropped and the pond began to freeze, he managed to save one duck but couldn’t reach the other. For two nights, the remaining duck, now named Nancy Lee, was stuck in a small circle of frigid water, resisting all attempts to lure her out with food.
Mobilizing for a Rescue
The Lysons, undeterred by the cold, grabbed their kayak and rescue gear, picking up volunteer Mike along the way. By the time they arrived, other community members, including a determined Good Samaritan named Kevin, had joined the effort. Kevin broke through the ice to create an opening wide enough for a kayak, but thick ice still separated Nancy Lee from safety.
A Duck’s Surprise Decision
For hours, the rescuers tried various strategies to guide Nancy Lee to shore, but progress was slow. Then, unexpectedly, Nancy Lee took matters into her own wings—crossing the shortest stretch of ice to dry land on her own.
Mike quickly netted the duck, who stood still and calm, as if she understood her rescue was finally at hand.
A Happy Ending
Nancy Lee was brought back to the Lysons’ sanctuary, where she was cleaned, warmed, and welcomed into a new chapter of her life. While she couldn’t reunite with her original pond companion, now living with Ed’s sister, Nancy Lee adapted well to her new home, thriving under the care of the MDRS team.
“[She] spent the rest of the night in the comfort of our warm home,” Lyson wrote. “A fairytale ending!”
This story highlights not only the resilience of one little duck but also the compassion and determination of a community that came together to save her.