Who was Vincent Parr? Massachusetts man dies trying to save his son and wife from drowning in New Hampshire river
LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS: A Massachusetts man drowned while trying to rescue his wife and son from drowning in a river in New Hampshire.
On Sunday, August 20, Lawrence native Vincent Parr visited Albany's Swift River with his family and his tragic death took place when his loved ones got stuck in the river, stated New Hampshire State Police.
What led to the New Hampshire River tragedy?
As per the press release issued by the department, the incident took place while Parr's family was on the Passaconaway roadside of the Swift River located east of the Albany-covered bridge.
Talking to an ABC affiliate WCVB-TV, Sergeant Nicholas Haroutunian of New Hampshire Marine Patrol said that before the "freak accident" took place, Parr's family had been "enjoying the water" for hours.
"The heroic father jumped in after him to save his son," he said of Parr.
"If you're going to be around water, take some maybe swim lessons to obviously get that skill built up. Just be careful," Haroutunian added.
According to the investigators, the victim "attempted to rescue" his two loved ones but "ultimately became caught in the current himself."
Parr's wife and son were able to get back to the shore eventually. Parr was pulled from the water by the bystander who performed CPR on him. However, he did not survive.
New Hampshire Marine Patrol and Conway firefighters responded to the incident. The 37-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.
"You’ve got to take precautions out here, you have slippery rocks and things like that," said Martin Ryan, of Portsmouth, who has visited the area for years.
"You could fall and end up in the water, hit your head, and next thing you know, you're in deep trouble," said Ryan, adding that he has never seen the river like this.
Vincent Parr hailed for his selfless act
According to the Associated Press, Parr's grieving mother stated her son was "kind-hearted" and "a loving soul" who "never put himself first."
"From the day he was born, he was so selfless. I know he didn’t think for a moment, 'I could die,' he just did what he could," Becca Parr said.
The fatal incident is currently under investigation.
Recent water-related incidents in New Hampshire
Parr was not the only victim of drowning in New Hampshire due to water-related incidents this week.
Lynn-native Melissa Bagley died while trying to rescue her 10-year-old son from the currents at Franconia Falls.
The boy "slipped and fell into one of the pools" at the Falls, and his 44-year-old mother tragically swept away in the current during her attempt to save her son.
