6 days ago
Heroic Dad Drowns While Rescuing Son, 13, Who Fell in River During Fishing Trip
A father died after saving his 13-year-old son, who had fallen into a river in Texas on May 25
The rushing water quickly pulled the 41-year-old man under, and he drowned
After the tragic accident, local fire officials urged people to wear life jackets and avoid fast-moving waterA 41-year-old father died after rescuing his son, who had fallen into a Texas river during a fishing trip over Memorial Day weekend, according to reports.
The man was fishing with his 13-year-old child near a dam in Denison on Sunday, May 25, when the boy fell into the Red River, a 1,290-mile river on the Texas-Oklahoma border, CBS affiliate KXII, ABC affiliate KTEN and the Herald Democrat reported.
The man was able to pull his son from the water, but was caught up in the current and never reemerged. Shortly after, his body was recovered by rescue teams, according to KXII and the paper. Meanwhile, the boy was rescued.
Denison Fire Rescue told the outlet that the man, who has not been publicly identified, drowned. Texas Game Wardens are overseeing an investigation of the incident, KTEN reported.
The fire department, Grayson County Sheriff's Office and Denison Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's requests for comment.
When emergency responders first arrived at the scene, they were responding to reports that a child was in the water.
'The guys got the swift water boat, they got into rescue mode, headed down there as fast as they could, put a boat in the water,' Deputy Fire Marshal Landon Lindsey told KXII. 'Come to find out, the child had been rescued by his father, and the father was now the one that was unaccounted for and went under.'
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Fire officials said that neither the boy nor his father was wearing a life jacket, according to KXII and the Herald Democrat. They confirmed that that evening, the dam's floodgates were open.
'Even if you're a strong swimmer, it could drag you all the way downstream, and you may tire out by then, and you're in trouble,' Lindsey told KXII. He urged people to wear life vests and avoid rushing water.
Read the original article on People
