NEED TO KNOW
- A 53-year-old man drowned as he was attempting to save a group of children who were struggling to keep afloat at Colorado’s Lake Pueblo State Park
- The Pueblo County Coroner identified the man as Manuel DeJesus Villanueva Miranda of Colorado Springs
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife shared that two of the children he was trying to save were his own kids
A 53-year-old man drowned while saving a group of children who were struggling to keep afloat in a Colorado lake.
The man was pronounced dead after he was discovered on the shore of Sailboard Beach in Colorado’s Lake Pueblo State Park on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 14, according to a statement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), Two days later, the Pueblo County Coroner identified the man as Manuel DeJesus Villanueva Miranda of Colorado Springs.
The victim “went out to help kids swimming in rough waters, and surrounding park visitors saw him go under the water and went to pull him out,” park officials stated in a May 15 press release.
According to CPW, two of the children involved in the incident were the man’s kids, and two additional children were their friends.
“All of the kids are safe and with their respective guardians,” CPW said.
Lake Pueblo State Park Rangers received a call for help just before 2:45 p.m. and arrived at the scene within minutes. Witnesses, park staff and medical personnel all helped to give the man CPR for around 40 minutes, officials noted, they “were unsuccessful.”
“CPW offers condolences to the family and friends of the victim and everyone involved in the incident,” Becky Buist, operations manager at Lake Pueblo State Park, said in a statement.
Although the coroner has not shared the official cause of death, CPW officials shared that Miranda was not wearing a personal flotation device (a life jacket), and the water temperature was in the 50s with strong winds.
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According to the organization, swimming in water below 68 degrees Fahrenheit is “dangerous” and can result in cold water shock.
“Sudden immersion in cold water can cause gasping, inhalation of water, and hypothermia, resulting in unconsciousness or swimming failure as muscles become numb,” CPW wrote.
The organization also shared information about staying safe while swimming and boating in state parks. Officials recommended that all park visitors wear a life jacket, which helps to “keep your airway clear of water and your head above water and support your body should you stop swimming or become unconscious,” including while paddleboarding and kayaking.
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