Queens Man Drowns While Rescuing Daughter at Jacob Riis

A Queens man trying to rescue his wife and daughter became the latest victim to drown in the Rockaways this summer. 36-year-old father of two Jose-Luis Olivares of Ozone Park became the sixth person to fall prey to the rough tides along the Queens beaches, the second to die at Jacob Riis Park. Olivares went into the water after his wife and ten-year-old daughter around 7 p.m.—an hour after life guards go off-duty. An off-duty park ranger pulled Olivares out and he was airlifted to Peninsula Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Both his wife and daughter survived; it was unclear how they managed to get out of the water. The victim's brother told the Post, "We're all feeling very bad right now because he was a hero today. He saved his daughter and his wife. He is a very good father — he loves his daughter. She is devastated." Parks officials continue to search for the body of Heyward "Winky" Patterson, who was pulled in while swimming late at night on a nearby beach earlier in the week.

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By Billy Parker in News on August 15, 2009 2:34 PM

Comments [rss]

NewWorldOrder

My sincere empathy to this poor man's family who lost both a spouse and a father. May you find peace in knowing how much you were loved and that there are people out there who can understand the pain you are going through.

lastlaugh

You are awesome, Webster78. Trilby16: you, on the other hand, are pathetic.

just saying

The National Weather Service estimates that more than 80% of lifeguard rescues are due to riptides. Below is their website which also outlines what to do if you find yourself caught up in a rip current.

http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/

Perhaps this information should be prominently posted at NYC beaches. All people need to do is just use a little common sense if they want to swim at local beaches.

Steven

Well for some people the ocean is their summer vacation or it provides the only cheap and easy way to cool off.

Trilby16

Damn! Will minorities in NY please learn how to swim and/or please, please not go into rough water with no lifeguards on duty? (I know our lifeguards are of dubious quality but still.) Put another way, if you are not a STRONG fucking SWIMMER stay out of the goddamn ocean for crissake.

asg749d

Trilby16 - I also forgot to say that you are an ignorant...

asg749d

You are an idiot trilby16...how dare you single out minorities?

Webster78

A strong swimmer can die in a strong rip tide.

A father just died while trying to save his child. Show some respect. Just because you are anonymous and online it doesn't mean you aren't a total a-hole for leaving this type of comment. I know this is regular talk here at Gothamist but is is just sick. A handful of instances doesn't reflect on all non-white people, but I guess you will take a poor man's death as any reason to further your ignorant little beliefs about minorities.

But hey, if you don't believe me that an experienced *white* swimmer could die in a strong current, please go swim in one. Maybe we would all be better off.