Man dies attempting to rescue 2 kids from water

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Missouri antheral who drowned portion trying to prevention 2 kids from Lake Michigan successful Racine, has been identified by authorities arsenic 40-year-old Thomas Walker. 

The Racine County Sheriff's Office said they are keeping Thomas successful their thoughts and prayers arsenic they marvel astatine his brave and selfless actions. 

Thomas' household stated, “He was a benignant psyche and an astonishing uncle to his niece and nephews. And however we mislaid him is simply a testament to however large an uncle and all-around feline helium was. [We] ne'er met a idiosyncratic who didn't similar him. He is missed greatly.”

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Published: 3:39 p.m. connected Aug. 22, 2021

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A 40-year-old Montgomery City, Missouri antheral passed distant aft attempting to rescue 2 kids from Lake Michigan astatine North Beach successful Racine, Sunday, August 22.

The Racine County Sheriff’s Office announced that connected Saturday, astatine astir 3:04 p.m., deputies were dispatched to North Beach for an idiosyncratic who was unaccounted for aft helium went into Lake Michigan astatine North Beach.

Initial reports bespeak that 2 antheral children were successful the h2o conscionable to the northbound of North Pier by ample rocks and showed that they were successful distress.

"The kids were beauteous excited to spot each of the responses, we knew that it was not a evidently bully motion to spot that astatine the beach," said formation goer Katie Borkowski.

She said erstwhile her household saw the assorted archetypal responders, close distant she thought of the different stories this summer.

"Especially with the kids astir we are acrophobic of, evidently the rip tides and currents that we knew were happening precise often astir this areas portion they cognize that determination were respective deaths oregon drownings recently," said Borkowski.

Officials accidental an big antheral comparative past proceeded to participate the h2o to prevention the children.

"There were struggling, conscionable South of North Beach," said Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling, "He was palmy successful in rescuing them, but unluckily helium ne'er emerged."

The Racine County Sheriff reports that the big antheral assisted successful the rescue of the young children; however, helium did not look from the water.

Authorities bespeak the Racine County Sheriff’s Boat was already successful the country of the incidental and rapidly began to hunt for the man.

At astir 4:01 p.m., the big antheral was rescued from the h2o and exigency lifesaving efforts were initiated.

The big antheral was aboriginal transported to Ascension All Saints Hospital connected Spring St., wherever helium was pronounced dead.

“The Sheriff’s Office commends the heroic actions of the antheral who assisted successful redeeming the lives of these 2 young children," Sheriff Schmaling said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family, and his loved ones. We besides promote radical to instrumentality the clip to analyse existent water conditions earlier entering Lake Michigan and instrumentality each indispensable precautions. This, similar the different unfortunate drownings this summer, are tragic, incredibly sad, and preventable.”

The Racine County Sheriff's Office said the unfortunate was visiting Racine with his family.

The Sheriff’s Office has besides been informed that each the progressive parties are from the State of Missouri.

The unfortunate is described arsenic a 40-year-old achromatic male, whose sanction is being withheld until notification tin beryllium made to his full family.

An autopsy volition beryllium performed aboriginal this week.

Officials study that the 2 children progressive successful the h2o incidental are safe.

The Sheriff’s Office announced they are alert that the US National Weather Service had issued a informing of hazardous h2o conditions on Lake Michigan, including the beaches of Racine County, from the aboriginal greeting hours of today’s day done 7:00 p.m.

Sheriff Schmaling said successful summation to the warning, this calamity each happened successful an country wherever determination aren’t lifeguards connected duty, adjacent to signs informing that it isn't harmless to swim.

"We person to admit and wage attraction and bash our owed diligence erstwhile it comes to these signs and these, these warnings retired here," said Sheriff Schmaling.

This informing included the anticipation of life-threatening waves up to 5 feet successful tallness and unsafe currents.

The Racine County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the South Shore Fire Department, City of Racine Fire Department, the Racine County Dive Team, and different exigency assets during today's rescue attempt.