Swan Attack Causes Anthony Hensley's Death; Kayaker Drowns In Illinois

Anthony Hensley -- seen here with his wife, Amy -- died after a swan attacked him and his kayak capsized.

Family and friends are trying to cope today with the death of an Illinois man who drowned Saturday after getting attacked by the swans he was employed to take care of.

It was supposed to be a normal day for 37-year-old Anthony Hensley, who worked for a company that used swans and dogs to keep geese away from properties on a Des Plaines pond, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. But tragedy struck when two swans swam at Hensley's kayak, somehow causing him to roll off the vessel.

Hensley -- wearing boots and heavy clothing -- died trying to swim back to shore as horrified witnesses looked on, CBS reported.

"His kayak wasn't upside down, but it was, like, upwards," Daniel Gamanov told the station. "You could see the tip of it."

Hensley's death was ruled an accident, Fox News reported.

He leaves behind a wife and two children, who are reportedly so young they haven't yet been told that their father won't be coming home.

"He's going to be remembered as one of the most wonderful fathers in the world," said Hensley's brother-in-law, Tony Macri. "A very good father, a very good husband; there wasn't a mean bone in his body."

Hensley died without life insurance and a fund has been set up to help his family. Donations can be sent to Amy Hensley, c/o Steuerle Funeral Home, 350 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park, IL 60181.

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Comments

[FreeSwingingSoul]

05:15 PM on 04/19/2012

I kayak, but never get in one without a PFD. Sounds like this guy would have lived if he'd followed basic boating safety. I'm not trying to be unsympathetic. Rather, I'm taking issue with the headline that reads "Swan Attack Causes Anthony Hensley's Death." The swans didn't cause his death. He drowned because he wasn't wearing a PFD. It is a tragic situation and its pathetic that news sites are trying to get clicks out of a death by printing misleading headlines.

[stacknef]

03:44 PM on 04/19/2012

37 year old father of 2 and no life insurance? I feel sorry for his widow and daughters as he didnt care enough about then to protect them from financial disaster without his income to support them.

[outasite]

10:47 AM on 04/19/2012

should have smacked it with an oar. my condolences to the family. sounds like he was a great guy. poor kids. aye, I'll stop before the tears come

[starrynite13]

11:20 PM on 04/18/2012

stop looking at me, SWAN!

[ATLBravesFan]

03:22 PM on 04/18/2012

As the "horrified witnesses looked on" why didn't any of them try to help?

[Mary Blumreich]

11:09 AM on 06/09/2012

My question exactly. But maybe they were like me; unable to swim.

[Grumpy Man]

10:44 AM on 04/18/2012

Tragic and sad.

Also, so easily preventable.

Personal flotation devices - they work best when you wear them.

I'm an avid kayak fisherman in an area where geese, sharks, alligators and venomous snakes are very common. During a typical year, the most dangerous creature I face is the lowly mosquito. Mosquitoes cause more death/injury/illness than all of the aforementioned combined. If I am on my kayak I am wearing a personal floatation device (PFD). I spend the majority of my time in waters less than 3' deep. Still, like the guy depicted in the below linked video, I wear it at all times.

Of interest to a few:
Goose attacks kayak fisherman:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cV4FCwtTEo

Deepest sympathies to the family of the deceased.

[walkerhds]

08:50 AM on 04/18/2012

they honked, he refused to move to the right, and they attacked....

[JTnDreamtime]

05:07 PM on 04/18/2012

good compassion. go look in the mirror and congratulate yourself.

[walkerhds]

04:40 AM on 04/19/2012

I am sorry for seeing humour in an ironic situation. There are so many other things I could have said that were a lot less charitable about the guy, but will leave it at: he bears a chunk of responsibility in this: his lack of preparedness, especially financially, leaves his family dependent upon the kindness of strangers.

I am sorry for the family, and really wish none of this would have happened.

[Randolph Greer]

04:05 AM on 04/18/2012

As a young boy of about 11 or 12, I was walking along a path beside a house that had geese. I was agressively attacked by a goose and had to flee back to our family car for protection. The goose pursued me all the way to the car. I vowed never to go anywhere near a goose unless I had a gun in my hand.

[Gomarlins45]

12:57 AM on 04/18/2012

Swans are vicious creatures..There are 2 swans and 2 geese in my ex boyfriends lake and they chase every moving object and try to kill it. Geese are pretty wild too, They have attacked me several times. This is so tragic.

[Kambriel2]

10:23 PM on 04/17/2012

The poor man. Swans are extremely powerful and territorial. They can bruise or break bones with a strike or beating with their wings which can have a span of up to six feet. Their hands are the size of man's fist. They're scary when they come up to beg for a treat, much less when they're mad. Heavy clothing and a pitching kayak in combination, what a terrible outcome. This is also a lesson to young, healthy and athletic people. Get life insurance. Even a just a small policy. My husband's funeral costs were $4000 ten years ago and that was a bargain package. Accidents can happen to anyone, keep some protection for your family.

[IndestructibleLioness]

10:05 PM on 04/17/2012

Wow, I had no idea Swans could kill people. My heart goes out to Hensley's family.

[jbeachboy32]

03:22 PM on 04/17/2012

how exactly do swans attack people? anyone know?

[aecarter87]

04:33 PM on 04/17/2012

they are aggressive birds, their beaks are actually incredibly powerful especially if they're pecking aggressively. sounds foolish, i know!

[jbeachboy32]

11:46 PM on 04/17/2012

really, they are deadly birds? they will keep attacking? thanks for info

[TRhett]

06:39 PM on 04/17/2012

They are very aggressive, territorial birds that attack unknowing people more than you think - usually when eggs or young are involved - not the beautiful, gliding eye candy most people associate them with. They're also much larger and stronger than most people realize. Although a full-grown man should be able to overpower them, sometimes extenuating factors (heavy boots, clothing, etc.) cause a bad situation to develop. Add to that the shock that a situation like that is developing, and it can snowball. But at the risk of sounding insensitive, this man should have known that and exercised precautions. Most people who have swans use machines to feed them.

[jbeachboy32]

04:41 PM on 04/18/2012

most animals are territorial , some are worse than others

[njcioffi]

03:14 PM on 04/17/2012

In Austin, TX there are a few places around town lake that they have nests. If they see you kayaking within 100 yards of them, they roll up on you like a street gang. It's disconcerting.

[matilda81]

05:34 PM on 04/17/2012

I live in Austin and have seen the swans on Town Lake many times, but I didn't know about them rolling up on you. I'll watch out for that.

[StephenJK]

12:33 AM on 04/18/2012

They are probably there to scare off other birds. LOL

[Beth Eddings Smith]

03:01 PM on 04/17/2012

So sorry for his family. May God bless them and help her to do what she must, alone, for now.

Also, most of the comments were informative and I learned from them. I would never have feared a swan and I appreciate the facts that I needed to know. Thank you very much.
Beth Eddings Smith

[ChicagoTRS]

02:09 PM on 04/17/2012

From other articles...the eyewitness accounts state that the swan continued to attack the man when he went in the water. This is the reason he could not swim to shore. This is the reason the witnesses could not help the man. A human has very little chance vs a 25lb+ bird in deep water.

Swans are very dangerous and territorial. I have seen a swan attack someone on land and I could not even imagine the difficulty of fending off a swan in deep water.

[Michelle VasquezSottile]

03:02 PM on 04/17/2012

Wow, I didn't know that. Thank you for the information as it now makes it a bit easier to understand how people could just watch. How horrifying for all involved!

[stacknef]

03:46 PM on 04/19/2012

grab its neck and pull it under until it drowns

[Mary Blumreich]

11:18 AM on 06/09/2012

I daresay grabbing a swan's neck would be hard enough. Having the strength to pull its head under water and hold it there ? ?? near to impossible. Swans are big and very strong. Plus, his or her buddies would be there to help. Whoever employed that unfortunate gentleman bears some responsibility. They should have provided him with a PFD and made using it mandatory. He probably was not adequately trained to deal with those birds, as happens in so many jobs nowadays. Very sorry for the tragedy.