A man, Ryan Borgwardt, meticulously planned to disappear from his life and family by faking his own death to start a new life with a woman he met online in Eastern Europe. Borgwardt executed his plan by staging a kayaking incident at Green Lake, Wisconsin, to deceive his wife into believing he had passed away. After sending misleading messages to his spouse, he embarked on a journey across the Canadian border, eventually moving overseas with the help of a Russian-speaking woman.
His disappearance led to a frantic search by his family, who believed he was dead until authorities confirmed he was alive in Canada. Eventually, Borgwardt voluntarily returned to the US, where he faced legal consequences, including a substantial fine, divorce from his wife, and a short prison sentence. Expressing remorse for his actions, Borgwardt acknowledged the distress he caused his loved ones and accepted responsibility for his misguided attempt to escape his life.