Hero California father drowns while holding 7-year-old son above water after kayak capsized
On Saturday afternoon a 54‑year‑old father and his 7‑year‑old son were caught in a tragedy on Lake Perris, east of Los Angeles, when their kayak suddenly overturned. Bystanders heard the dad shouting, “Take the child to the ambulance,” as a frantic rescue unfolded, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation later reported that the boy was clinging to his unconscious father on the water’s surface. The father stayed above the water, holding onto the child, until he sank. Rescue teams hauled both men out of the lake and immediately performed CPR on the father. He was rushed to a Riverside hospital, where paramedics could not save him and he was pronounced dead. The 7‑year‑old, meanwhile, received medical evaluation, and the Parks Department said he was being treated. Neither the father nor the child wore a life jacket when the kayak flipped, even though state law requires children 12 and under to wear one on any moving‑water vessel. Michelle Juarez, who was boating in the area, described the intense 45‑minute CPR effort, and an additional family member watched as rescuers struggled to keep the father alive. In a statement, California State Parks expressed its deepest condolences to the family and urged all boaters to always wear life jackets.
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