Man dies after falling through ice; wife dies 24 hours later while retrieving his car

In a devastating sequence of events, a Detroit-area family faced two heartbreaking tragedies within 24 hours.

A Michigan family was struck by dual tragedies within 24 hours during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day, leaving the community of Livonia, a suburb just west of Detroit, in shock and mourning.

Scott Levitan, 66, went ice fishing on Thursday, Dec. 30, with his 15-year-old grandson on Lake George in northern Oakland County. The two were drilling a hole in the ice when it gave way and Levitan fell into the freezing water, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said. The teen called 911 and then also fell into the water while trying to help his grandfather.

A neighbor who saw what happened grabbed a kayak and rowed out to help the pair. He was able to pull the boy from the water but couldn't get Levitan into the kayak because the ice kept breaking. The good Samaritan was able to keep the man's head above the water until emergency crews arrived, authorities said.

Local firefighters used a line to pull Levitan out of the water and onto safer ice before performing CPR and rushing him to the hospital where he was put on life support. His grandson was treated and released.

On Friday, about 24 hours later, Mary Lou Levitan, also 66, was killed in a traffic accident in the area of the ice incident. Investigators believe the wife was traveling to pick up her husband’s vehicle when the crash occurred. The sheriff's office reported she was a backseat passenger in a Jeep Grand Cherokee that was struck by a car. "Almost to the minute, 24 hours after a man fell through the ice in Addison Township, his wife was killed Friday a crash near that location," The Oakland Press reported.

A 19-year-old Oakland Township man was driving a Ford Edge when the vehicle crossed the center line for an unknown reason and hit the Jeep Grand Cherokee head-on, the sheriff’s office reported. Two other people in the Jeep with Mary Lou Levitan, a man and his wife, both 62, were hospitalized, the woman listed in critical condition. The teen driver of the car that crossed the center line was airlifted to a hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

Scott Levitan was removed from life support on Tuesday, Jan. 4.

“This is an unspeakable tragedy that has befallen this family in a very short time,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. “Two tragic and unrelated incidents happen within 24 hours of each other. It’s hard to wrap your hands around it. Our prayers are with the family.”

Friends of the family have created a Go Fund Me page to help with medical bills and funeral expenses.

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