
Wisconsin kayaker who faked his death and fled to Asia says plan was a ‘crazy, emotional dream’
A Wisconsin kayaker who faked his death so he could live with a woman in Asia says his plan was a “crazy, emotional dream.” Ryan Borgwardt made the comment during an interview with Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office investigators. The interview was part of an investigative file released to The Associated Press this week. Borgwardt tells detectives that he hatched his plan because he couldn’t communicate with his wife and his children didn’t want to do anything with him. Borgwardt abandoned his kayak in Green Lake in August 2024 in hopes investigators would think he drowned. He flew overseas and lived with a woman in Georgia for several months. He returned to Wisconsin in December.