Massachusetts man drowns whereas rescuing son and niece from rip present in Florida

A Halifax, Massachusetts Military veteran and soccer coach is being remembered as a hero after relations say he drowned whereas saving his son and niece from a rip present on a Florida seashore.

Florida drowning

It occurred April 24 at Fernandina Seashore, which is about 35 miles north of Jacksonville. 

Members of the family say Joshua Curtis, 38, rushed into the water when his 6-year-old son Owen and niece received caught in a robust rip present. Whereas he rescued the kids, Curtis drowned.

“He was in all probability attempting to maintain them up and on the similar time he was going beneath. So I believe he did every thing he might to simply hold these two youngsters afloat,” mentioned Lance Jones, who lives close by and helped rescue the kids. “The toughest factor was Owen and simply the sheer look of panic on his face. He simply stored saying, ‘I am unable to swim, I am unable to swim, my dad mentioned he is drowning.’ I mentioned, ‘Hey buddy, I received you, we gotta swim in.'”

Curtis, who’s survived by his spouse and son, had solely been in Florida for a number of days. The household lived in Halifax, Massachusetts however would usually go to his hometown in Florida.

“He is a warrior and he sacrificed his life for the kids,” mentioned Curtis’ mom, Daybreak Wall.

“It’s with nice satisfaction and unhappiness that we are saying goodbye to a person that embodies what it means to be a soldier, father, husband and finally a hero,” mentioned Curtis’ household in an announcement.

Massachusetts soccer coach dying

Curtis served within the Military for 15 years and was additionally a soccer coach for the Silver Lake Warriors, a youth soccer program serving youngsters in Kingston, Plympton and Halifax.

“His affect on the Warrior household was speedy and lasting. His son had simply accomplished his first yr of soccer and Josh was getting ready to tackle the position of head coach for our Mighty Mites this upcoming season. His ardour, management and kindness shall be deeply missed on and off the sphere,” this system mentioned in an announcement posted on their Fb.

A celebration of life in reminiscence of Curtis was held Tuesday evening in Florida. The household can be thanking first responders who they mentioned labored so onerous to avoid wasting his life.

“He was at all times joyous, I had by no means seen him and not using a smile,” mentioned cousin Chris Wall.

“The consolation comes, in something, is that God received us there on the proper time to be there for these youngsters, and figuring out the legacy Josh has left,” mentioned Jones. “Everybody in his household and his pals that knew him talked about what a person he was. His legacy will stay on via Owen.”

What’s a rip present?

Rip currents are slender columns of water flowing quickly away from the seashore.

About 100 folks drown from rip currents alongside U.S. seashores every year, based on the United States Lifesaving Affiliation. If you end up caught in a single, swim parallel to the shore till you are out of its grip.