“He was a giant of a man, but his heart was pure gold,” said Jeffrey Brady’s friend Summer Needham.
A 51-year-old man tragically drowned after rescuing two children from the Colorado River over the weekend, according to authorities.
The incident took place near a hidden coastal resort in Yuma, Arizona, on July 5th. The Arizona Republic reported that deputies from the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office responded shortly after noon when children were pulled away from shallow waters by strong currents.
Jeffrey Brady, who had recently moved from California, jumped into the water in an attempt to save the boys. A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office explained that he could have left them to floating until help arrived. Unfortunately, he struggled and did not resurface.
Efforts by the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies to conduct an underwater search led to Brady’s body being found around 7 p.m. that day.
Brady was remembered fondly.
Having recently settled in Yuma with his partner and blind father, Brady was known as a selfless hero. He was originally from San Diego, and according to a fundraiser set up in his honor, he was a dedicated provider.
The GoFundMe page, aiming to cover funeral costs and other needs, has raised over $88,000 as of July 9th. The saved boys, aged 10 and 12, were the nephews of his girlfriend.
“He was a giant of a man, but his heart was pure gold,” Needham remarked about Brady. Another friend, Joanne Ripley, noted that his actions came as no surprise, emphasizing his bravery.
