McGREGOR, Minn. - The bodies of an Apple Valley man and his son were recovered Monday from Big Sandy Lake, where they had been canoeing.
Earle F. Kyle IV, 41, and Nicholas Kyle, 8, were reported missing around 6 p.m. Sunday, the Aitkin County sheriff's office said. Their bodies were found Monday morning on the northeast side of the lake.
Kyle was a vice president and senior general counsel at Fridley-based Medtronic Inc. Nicholas was a third-grader at Greenleaf Elementary in Apple Valley.
Nicholas's aunt, Therese Anderson, said the family believes the canoe capsized in windy conditions, and that they died of hypothermia.
The father and son were last seen around noon Sunday when they left the family cabin on the lake's north end near McGregor. Searchers looked for them from the water, shore and by air.
ADVERTISEMENT
A resident on the lake found their overturned 15-foot canoe submerged near his dock around 7:45 a.m. Monday. The father's body was found nearby, in about four feet of water. The boy's body was found along the nearby shore.
Sheriff Scott Turner said both father and son were wearing life jackets when they were found. The lake's water temperature was about 55 degrees.
The bodies were sent to St. Paul for autopsies at the Ramsey County medical examiner's office.
Kyle joined Medtronic, the medical device maker, about seven years ago. He had previously represented clients in several high-profile civil cases targeting insurance companies, winning multimillion-dollar settlements.
"Earle was a valued colleague and a friend of many at Medtronic," said Terry Carlson, a Medtronic senior vice president and general counsel, in a written statement. "We will long remember his enormous energy, creativity, leadership and hard work."
At Greenleaf Elementary, teachers in each classroom told students about Nicholas' death.
"He was a very sweet little boy," Principal Kevin Samsel said. "He comes from a great family. I was acquainted with his father, too. I was terribly sorry about what happened to both of them. My heart goes out to the family and friends."
