Missing father Ryan Borgwardt, believed to have drowned in a kayaking accident, says he’s safe

In a twist that could belong in a B-grade thriller, Ryan Borgwardt, a Wisconsin kayaker previously thought to have drowned, has been found alive. This shocking revelation was confirmed by Green Lake County Sheriff Mark Podoll, who reported that police made contact with Borgwardt on November 11, 2024.

To verify his identity and safety, authorities asked Borgwardt to record a video answering questions only he could know. The footage, filmed in what appeared to be an apartment, showed him in good health. However, Borgwardt refused to disclose his whereabouts, though officials suspect he’s somewhere in Eastern Europe.

The sheriff shared an unbelievable story about how Borgwardt managed to escape. According to Borgwardt, he hid an electric bike near the boat launch, then took a small inflatable boat into Green Lake. After capsizing his kayak and discarding his phone, he paddled to shore, grabbed the bike, and rode through the night to Madison, Wisconsin. From there, he caught a bus to Detroit, then crossed the Canadian border and eventually boarded a flight to an unknown destination. Authorities are still verifying the details of his wild journey.

Borgwardt, a husband and father of three, had gone missing on the night of August 11, 2023, after texting his wife that he was kayaking on Green Lake and would be back soon. The next day, his overturned kayak and life jacket were found, leading authorities to believe he had drowned. Divers and search teams scoured the lake for weeks, but it wasn’t until August 13, when Canadian law enforcement checked his name, that investigators realized something didn’t add up. That’s when the sheriff’s office decided to examine his laptop, uncovering suspicious evidence that pointed to a much more elaborate plan.

Police discovered communications between Borgwardt and a woman in Uzbekistan, as well as records showing he had taken out a new life insurance policy, tried to move money to foreign bank accounts, and even applied for a new passport months before his supposed kayaking accident. These findings led them to believe that Borgwardt had staged his disappearance to run off to Eastern Europe, likely to meet the woman he had been secretly communicating with.

Further details revealed that Borgwardt had chosen Green Lake for its depth, thinking search efforts would end after two weeks. Sheriff Podoll noted that Borgwardt seemed more regretful about wasting the police’s time and resources than about his actual actions.

Now, despite his elaborate disappearance, both his family and Sheriff Podoll are urging him to return. “He needs to come home to his kids,” Podoll said, adding that his return would be the best Christmas gift he could give them.

However, Borgwardt could face legal trouble for obstructing justice, and the county may seek restitution for the extensive search efforts, possibly around $35,000 to $40,000. But as of now, Borgwardt’s whereabouts remain unknown, and he’s still out there, far from home.