By Marla Jones, Managing Editor • marla@southerntorch.com

FORT PAYNE, Ala. — On Saturday, October 26, The National Park Service confirmed that a man had died following a kayaking accident at Little River Canyon Preserve.  

The DeKalb County resident apparently fell from his kayak and was pinned under a rock. The 911 call went out at approximately 11:38 a.m. on Saturday morning. The preserve closed the Canyon Rim Parkway from County Road 255 to Grace’s High Falls around 2 p.m. The search was suspended due to the weather at 4:00 p.m. 

The recovery effort resumed on Sunday morning. At approximately 11:13 a.m., the body of Sylvania resident Chip Sizemore was recovered. 

According to Fischer Rescue Squad Captain Quinten Green, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) search helicopter was used in the recovery effort.  

In addition to the ALEA, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office along with the Fort Payne Fire Department, Fischer Rescue Squad, DeKalb County Emergency Management and the DeKalb Ambulance Service aided in the recovery effort.