The waters of Saguaro Lake, nestled in the rugged beauty of Arizona’s Tonto National Forest, became the stage for a heartrending tragedy that gripped the local community. On Wednesday, August 20, 2025, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) announced the recovery of a body believed to be that of 65-year-old Richard “Rick” Powers, a beloved figure in the Valley’s paddleboarding community. The discovery brought a somber close to an intensive three-day search that began when Powers vanished during an early morning paddle on Sunday, August 17.
Rick Powers, a retired and remarkably fit athlete, was a familiar sight on Saguaro Lake, often gliding across its waters before the sun rose. Known for his dedication to paddleboarding, he was training for his team’s upcoming fall race in Parker when he set out near Boat Ramp 1 around 5:45 a.m. that Sunday. Clad in a lime-green hooded sweatshirt, black shorts, and flip-flops, Powers was described as a man who lived for the water, his board an extension of his vibrant spirit. Yet, when he failed to appear for a scheduled 7 a.m. class at No Snow Stand Up Paddleboards in Mesa, alarm bells rang.
The search began in earnest after a boater discovered Powers’ paddleboard, adrift near Captain’s Nook on the lake’s south side, with his cellphone and shoes still aboard. Friends, including Court Fetter, owner of No Snow Paddleboard Shop, grew frantic. “He was a close friend,” Fetter shared, his voice heavy with grief. “Rick was one of the most giving people you’d ever meet—gruff on the outside, but he’d give you the shirt off his back.” Fetter and others in the tight-knit paddleboarding community feared the worst, suspecting a sudden medical episode, perhaps a heart attack or stroke, had caused Powers to fall from his board, unable to activate his waist-type life jacket.
The MCSO mounted a relentless search, combing the sprawling 1,200-acre lake, which stretches 10 miles with depths plunging to 90 feet. Boats patrolled tirelessly, an aviation unit conducted grid searches from above, and a specialized team deployed sonar to scan the lakebed for anomalies. The breakthrough came with the aid of BORSTAR, the Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue unit, whose highly trained canines played a pivotal role in narrowing the search area. “Our heartfelt thanks go to BORSTAR and their remarkable canines,” the MCSO stated. “Their skills greatly helped our ROV team locate and bring him home.”
Powers’ disappearance sent ripples of sorrow through the paddleboarding community and beyond. His brother, John Powers, remembered him as a loyal friend whose tough exterior hid a generous heart. “His friends were everything,” John said. At No Snow Paddleboard Shop, where Powers volunteered and led the race team, friends and customers gathered to share memories, their stories painting a picture of a man who was both a mentor and a teammate. “You can tell everybody misses him,” said friend Mike La. “He didn’t have family here, but he definitely had a family with all of us.”
As the MCSO continues to investigate the cause and manner of Powers’ death, the community mourns a man who found joy in the rhythm of the paddle and the calm of the lake. For now, Saguaro Lake holds its secrets, its waters reflecting both the beauty of Powers’ passion and the tragedy of his loss. The search may have ended, but Rick Powers’ legacy endures in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.
