A California father died over the weekend after keeping his 7-year-old son afloat long enough for rescuers to arrive when their kayak capsized Saturday afternoon at Lake Perris, about 70 miles east of Los Angeles, reports the Los Angeles Times. Neither the father nor the child was wearing a life jacket, but the 55-year-old man managed to keep his son above water for a significant period. The boy was found by rescuers holding onto his father's unconscious body. The man did not survive despite first responders performing CPR for what a witness estimated to be at least 45 minutes.
The child was hospitalized for evaluation, but he is expected to survive. "The father heroically kept his son afloat throughout the ordeal, supporting him until rescue personnel arrived," said the California Department of Parks and Recreation in a statement. Another family member was also evaluated after her blood pressure spiked when she began hyperventilating, a witness told local media. The incident has prompted the state department to issue a reminder about the importance of life jackets, noting that state law requires children 12 and under to wear one while on a moving vessel. There was reportedly at least one life jacket available on the kayak, KTLA reports.
The man's widow tells NBC 4 Los Angeles it was the first time her husband or their son had been on a kayak, and they were excited and having fun before the tragedy. She says her husband died a hero.
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