Rescue on the Mississippi River

Members of the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments try to rescue a man floating south in the Mississippi River as he approaches the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Members of the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments lookout from a pier along the flood wall in downtown Cape Girardeau as a man floats south in the Mississippi River Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to be helped by first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was eventually rescued. (Laura Simon)

A man floats south in the Mississippi River Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to be helped by first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was eventually rescued. (Laura Simon)

Mark Hasheider, assistant chief with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, communicates with a man floating south in the Mississippi River Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to be helped by first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Mark Hasheider, assistant chief with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, communicates with a man floating south in the Mississippi River Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to be helped by first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

A man floats south in the Mississippi River Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

A man floats south in the Mississippi River Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Mark Hasheider, assistant chief with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, walks over to get a life preserver on a towboat to try and help a man floating south in the Mississippi River Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to be helped by first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Mark Hasheider, assistant chief with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, communicates with a man floating south in the Mississippi River Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Members of the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments try to rescue a man floating south in the Mississippi River Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Members of the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments try to rescue a man floating south in the Mississippi River Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Members of the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments try to rescue a man floating south in the Mississippi River Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Members of the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments try to rescue a man floating south in the Mississippi River Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Members of the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments try to rescue a man floating south in the Mississippi River as he approaches the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Members of the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments try to rescue a man floating south in the Mississippi River as he approaches the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Members of the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments try to rescue a man floating south in the Mississippi River as he approaches the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Members of the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments try to rescue a man floating south in the Mississippi River as he approaches the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Members of the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments try to rescue a man floating south in the Mississippi River as he approaches the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Members of the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments try to rescue a man floating south in the Mississippi River as he approaches the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)

Members of the Cape Girardeau fire and police departments try to rescue a man floating south in the Mississippi River as he approaches the Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge, Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The man refused to help from first responders on two towboats and a couple fire department boats as he floated south. The man was rescued further south on the river. (Laura Simon)