God Was Watching Over Us: WI Gubernatorial Candidate Tom Tiffany Safe After Emergency Water Landing

Sam J. | 11:25 AM on September 13, 2026

Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany is alive because a pilot kept his head, first responders moved fast, and — by his own account — God was watching.

Flying home from a Lincoln Day dinner, the plane lost power on approach to Wausau Downtown Airport and came down on Lake Wausau. Tiffany and the pilot got out as the aircraft started to sink, swam to shallower water, and waited for boats from the Wausau Fire Department.

Both walked away with only minor injuries and a trip to Aspirus Wausau Hospital. In a moment that could have ended very differently, Tiffany pointed to the people who pulled them off the water, the care he received, and his wife, Chris, at his side — and to how quickly a night like that can remind you what actually matters.

Tiffany's post itself will give you goosebumps:

While returning home from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner tonight, the plane I was traveling in lost power as we approached the Wausau Downtown Airport. The pilot made an emergency water landing in Lake Wausau.

After landing, we called 911. As the plane began to…
— Tom Tiffany (@TomTiffanyWI) September 13, 2026

Post continues:

... submerge, we exited the aircraft and swam to a shallow area, where we waited until emergency responders reached us by boat.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to the pilot, the Wausau Fire Department, and all of the first responders who came to our aid so quickly. They got us safely off the water and transported us to Aspirus Wausau Hospital, where we received excellent care. Thankfully, both the pilot and I sustained only minor injuries.
God was watching over us tonight, and I am incredibly grateful to be here in the hospital with my wife, Chris, by my side. An experience like this reminds you just how precious life is.