Governor Tim Walz ordered flags flown at half-staff Tuesday in honor of park ranger Kevin Grossheim, who died Sunday trying to rescue a family at Voyageurs National Park.
“Kevin Grossheim was a dedicated ranger and public servant, known for his unwavering commitment to helping others,” Walz said in a statement. “Minnesota mourns this tragic loss, and requests all flags be lowered in recognition of Ranger Grossheim’s service and sacrifice.”
Grossheim was responding to a call of a family stranded on an island at Voyageurs National Park, near International Falls. Grossheim’s Park Service boat capsized in what was reported to be 8-foot waves on Namakan Lake. His body was recovered after a three-hour search, according to the Park Service.
The family — a man and his sons, one juvenile and one adult — eventually got to shore safely, St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay said Sunday.
“He was a true public servant,” Ramsay said of Grossheim. “He loved to help people.”
