Chicago brothers recount rescuing people from water during deadly Geneva Lake storm

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A fast-moving storm that swept across Geneva Lake on Friday with 90 mph winds left three children dead and prompted numerous water rescues, including the rescue of a father and his teenage daughter by two Chicago brothers who were boating on the lake.

Brothers Dan and Patrick Hodgman were aboard their heavy, wooden 26-foot boat on the east end of Geneva Lake when the storm arrived. The storm, caused by a downburst, struck minutes after the lake's Water Safety Patrol had warned boaters with red flags and lights.

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"I'm like, oh wow, looks like there's going to be a storm here, and next thing you know it was torrential downpours and winds like I've never seen in my entire life there," Dan Hodgman said.

As conditions rapidly deteriorated, Dan focused on navigating through the powerful winds and waves.

"We saw waves coming in and over the windshield of our boat," he said. "And my focus was keeping us nosed into the wind and trying to keep the nose of the boat up."

The storm lasted only minutes, but the brothers soon spotted people in distress.

"And then all of a sudden, I saw out of the corner of my eye just two heads in the water," Patrick Hodgman said.

The two people were a father and his teenage daughter who had been on another boat.

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"He turned the boats towards them. We got life jackets, throwable floaters out to them, and we were able to pull them into the boat," Patrick said.

The Hodgmans said they also saw other people nearby being pulled from the water by fellow boaters.

Not everyone could be saved. Authorities said three children ages 6, 7, and 10 were found dead inside a capsized boat after emergency responders rushed to the scene.

"There was just an overwhelming sense of sadness for what those families were going through," emergency responder Jeff Steingart said.

Community Unit School District 200 in Wheaton confirmed that at least two of the children were students in the district.

In a statement, the district said, "...our deepest condolences are with the family and friends of the children..." The district also wrote, "We ask that you join us in supporting these families."

Authorities said the operator of the children's capsized vessel had extensive boating experience and, like the Hodgmans, had tried to point the boat into the wind.

"Don't jump to conclusions is the biggest thing," Dan Hodgman said. "Everyone did everything they thought was right."

The Hodgmans said they have spent decades boating on Geneva Lake and have taught boating safety. They said it has been heartening to see the boating community come together in the aftermath of the tragedy.

The video in the player above is from a previous report.