Henry Brooks, Hope, Maine dad drowns saving 2 daughters from Seven Tree Pond after both girls, 12 & 13 were swept by currents into deep waters.
A Maine father has died after drowning in deep water while trying to save his two daughters, aged 12 and 13, struggling to swim in a deep pond.
Henry Brooks, 46, of Hope was spending Saturday with his family at Seven Tree Pond in Union, Maine, when one of his daughters fell into deep water while swimming.
His second daughter, who was already in the water, tried to grab her sister, only for both girls to be swept by currents into an even deeper portion of the pond.
A father risks all for his children
Brooks and his son, 27, raced to save the girls in the water in Ayer Park after hearing their cries for help, with the father diving into the pond, according to WABI.
The 27-year-old, who grabbed a life jacket, caught his sisters and brought them to a nearby dock – but when he looked for his father, he couldn’t find him.
A dive team later located Brooks’ body about 50 feet from shore at 7.30pm. The water was seven feet deep, according to the Maine Warden Service.
A Hope man has died in a drowning accident while trying to rescue his children says the The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.https://t.co/c2Ea9Xgi6G
— CBS 13 News (@WGME) July 9, 2023
Brooks’ daughters and son were brought to PenBay Medical Center for observation following the ordeal.
Brooks’ body was taken to Halls Funeral Home in Waldoboro, Maine.
The local community came together on social media to pay their respects for the father, who died attempting to save his family.
One person wrote: ‘Wow super sad..what a great dad to risk his own life to save there’s.. that’s a true hero…rip…. Condolences to the family.’
Another person added: ‘Prayers and my deepest heart felt condolences to the families of this courageous man.’
A third added: ‘This is so sad. The son with a life jacket managed to save his sisters. The dad and brother were both heroes.’
