A Texas family is mourning the loss of a father and son in a devastating accident. The two went out fishing in a creek in their hometown with other family members, and the fishing trip was going well until the young boy fell into the water. His father immediately went in to rescue his son, but unfortunately, neither was able to be saved.
The family is left trying to pick up the pieces as they work through this unexpected tragedy. Neither the father nor the son had been wearing a life jacket.
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The father and son were enjoying the day together.
Fernando Carlos and his 6-year-old son, Noah Carlos, went fishing at Mountain Creek Lake on October 5. Fox 4 reported that Dallas Fire-Rescue said Noah Carlos was swept underwater into a creek around 1:30 p.m. Naturally, his father jumped in to try to save him. even though he didn’t know how to swim.
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They weren't alone.
“I was putting the minnows on a hook, and all I heard was a scream,” Jose Carlos, Fernando’s brother, told Fox 4. The scream, belonging to Noah Carlos, was followed by the splash of Fernando Carlos jumping into the water.
“Like any father, my brother jumped in there knowing he couldnāt swim,” Jose Carlos revealed.
What happened next was heartbreaking.
Jose Carlos ran to his car to get rope while another family member jumped into the water to help save the father and son, Fox 4 reported. That family member was able to get them to the edge of the water, but then the boy slipped out of his grasp, going under the water.
Fernando Carlos went back under to rescue his son, and they were never seen alive again. “In those 30 seconds, my brother was gone,” Jose Carlos said.
Rescue teams were able to recover the bodies.
Dallas Fire-Rescue found the father’s body around 5 p.m., according to Fox 4. They were unable to find Noah Carlos’ body before it got dark. They resumed the search around 8 a.m. Sunday.
“Around 2 p.m., the child’s body was recovered after it washed up on shore near Mi Familia Park, located at 2402 Cardiff Street, in Grand Prairie,” Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Jason Evans told CBS News.
Both the father and son were loved by their family.
“We just want the world to know that my brother had a life. My brother was a good man,” Jose Carlos shared, per Fox 4. “Noah was a great child. He was innocent. 6 years old. He hadnāt even seen the world yet. He doesnāt know what wrong is.”
Fernando Carlos also was the sole caregiver to two daughters, ages 5 and 9. The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help them get through this tragedy. It’s raised more than $17,000 of its $30,000 goal thus far.
