A 43-year-old man, who was a father of two, has been found dead 125 miles away a month after he went missing while boating on Lake Michigan near Lake Forest.
The Lake Forest Fire Department and Lake Forest Police Department responded around 2:45 p.m. on October 13 to the Lake Forest Harbor boat ramp, 601 Forest Park Road, for a report of a water rescue.
The wife of Christian Mattis, 43, of Lake Forest, called 911 to report she arrived at the boat launch to pick up her husband.
Lake Forest Fire Chief Pete Siebert said Mattis was scheduled to have returned to the launch point at 2 p.m. but never returned. His trailer was still near the boat launch.
Fire department boats were launched onto Lake Michigan and a drone was also launched to aid in the effort, Siebert said.
The drone located the 15-foot catamaran-style sailboat five miles from shore south of the Lake Forest Harbor Boat Ramp.
Siebert said Mattis was not located in the area.
Multiple fire departments and a U.S. Coast Guard boat and helicopter were called to assist in the search for the man.
“The water conditions were challenging, with waves reaching 4 to 6 feet,” Siebert said on the day of the incident.
A gale warning was in effect at the time for Lake Michigan off of the Illinois and Wisconsin shores.
The National Weather Service warning said high wind gusts and waves 7-10 feet were expected.
“Mariners should alter plans to avoid these hazardous conditions. Remain in port, seek safe harbor, alter course, and/or secure the vessel for severe conditions,” the warning said.
Rescue crews received information that Mattis’s cell phone pinged near Glencoe Beach and the Wilmette and Evanston fire departments were dispatched to search.
The departments launched their rescue boats and assisted in the search.
“Despite the combined efforts of all agencies involved, the water search was halted around 5:30 pm,” Siebert said.
U.S. Coast Guard helicopters took over the search but those efforts were suspended at 7:30 p.m. on October 13.
Siebert said Mattis was not wearing a personal flotation device at the time of the incident.
The Lake Forest Fire Department and Lake County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit resumed surface searches the following day as well as searches along the shoreline.
The Michigan State Police located a body on the morning of November 8 in Lake Michigan near Pentwater, Michigan. No foul play was suspected.
They initially were not able to positively identify the man and state police said detectives were working to identify the body.
Last week, the Michigan State Police positively identified the body as Mattis.
He was found approximately 125 miles away from where he went missing.
“The Michigan State Police sends our deepest condolences to the family of a missing boater from Illinois who has been identified as the remains found in Lake Michigan on November 8th,” the agency said.
“This is a very tragic time for this family and they are asking for privacy as they grieve their tremendous loss,” the agency added.
An obituary for Mattis said he was born in the Czech Republic and previously lived in Germany.
He was the father of two children and had a successful career in finance, the obituary said.