SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, Calif. — A man who helped rescue a woman and her five-year-old daughter from the San Joaquin River has been found dead, the family confirmed Wednesday.
The man helped save a woman and her daughter after they crashed into the San Joaquin River in Vernalis Tuesday afternoon. According to the South San Joaquin Fire Authority, the woman and her daughter were taken to a hospital after the crash Tuesday afternoon.
The San Joaquin County Medical Examiner's Office identified the man as Eddie Gerardo Cervantes Lora, 41 of Manteca. Friends told ABC10 he is a father of three who lives in the area.
For unknown reasons, the woman's GMC sports utility vehicle rolled over from the Airport Way overcrossing, going down the embankment, hitting a tree and going into the river around 1:30 p.m.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the driver and her child got out of the GMC and stood near the rear hatch as it began to sink.
Fire officials said bystanders rescued the child from the woman's arms before she went under the water.
"The mother and child did exit the vehicle. They did stand on the vehicle as it started to submerge. A good Samaritan did swim out into the river and rescued the 5-year-old girl, brought her back to shore," said Nelson Zelaya, CHP spokesperson.
The woman was rescued from the water by a bystander who did not resurface once the woman was on the shore.
"The good Samaritan went under water and to try to look for the mother (but) was unsuccessful. But the current did take her to the shore where she was unconscious and had major injuries," said Zelaya.
The woman was "revived" by medical officials and taken to a hospital with the child, according to fire officials. Police said she had major injuries from the incident and the five-year-old girl had no injuries.
Officials from multiple agencies searched for the bystander but were unable to find him Tuesday after multiple hours of searching in the water. Search efforts continued Wednesday until his body was eventually found.
"Our search and rescue attempts today turned into a search and recovery. Moments ago, we were able to recover a body from the area where the wreck happened yesterday," said Heather Brent, spokesperson for the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office.
Officials hail the man as a hero for jumping in to save the mother and daughter.
"His immediate response to jump to help one another shows the kind of person that I assume that he was. And we're just very sorry today," said Brent.
