Dad dies saving son who jumped in lake to rescue woman during storm, Utah officials say

A father died rescuing his son from a Utah lake after the 17-year-old jumped in to assist a woman in a storm, parks officials reported.

The father and son were boating in Willard Bay State Park when stormy weather hit at 4:20 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, Utah State Parks officials said in a news release.

A 19-year-old swimmer in the water began to struggle, and the 17-year-old jumped in to assist her, officials said. The woman, who had a life jacket, was able to get back on board the boat.

But when the teen began to struggle, his father, Andre Leon Debose, 38, of Layton, jumped in to help him, officials said.

The two were holding onto a single life jacket when Debose sank underwater and did not resurface, officials said. His son was able to make it back to the boat.

Searchers found Debose’s body in the water at about 11:15 p.m., officials said.

On Aug. 3, another man died at Willard Reservoir while swimming with his son, who had gone back to their boat to get a life jacket for his father, McClatchy News reported.

Willard Bay State Park is about a 50-mile drive north from Salt Lake City.

This story was originally published August 11, 2024 at 2:41 PM with the headline "Dad dies saving son who jumped in lake to rescue woman during storm, Utah officials say."