By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

HELENA–On Sunday, July 12 at approximately 6:30 p.m., 49-year-old Buford Allen Crumpton Jr. of Pelham was reported missing by his family to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

Buford last spoke to his family by telephone on Saturday, July 11, at 2 p.m. while he was reportedly kayaking alone on Buck Creek, on the Cahaba River, near Helena.

On Monday, July 13, at approximately 9:40 a.m., a family member received a Facebook message from Crumpton advising he was beached in the area of Martin Lane in Helena suffering from a broken ankle.

Shelby County deputies, with the help of local property owners, located Crumpton with his Kayak. The Alabama Law Enforcement Aviation Unit extracted Crumpton with their helicopter from his remote location to a staging area where Helena Fire Department and regional paramedic service were waiting to provide medical care.

“We put our boat in and had two rescuers searching for him as well as the air unit and we were able to locate him near Shelby County 13 and then he was transported by ambulance,” said Helena Fire Chief John Wilder.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reported Crumpton’s injuries as non-life-threatening.

“I would like to thank all who helped locate and rescue Mr. Crumpton,” Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego wrote in a statement.