Father pays the ultimate price after jumping into lake to save 14-year-old son from drowning

By JAMES CIRRONE, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 21:43, 25 April 2026 | Updated: 21:45, 25 April 2026 A California father drowned in a lake while saving his 14-year-old autistic son, who had wandered into the body of water before he could be stopped. On April 14, Juan Andrade, 55, was at Lincoln Park in Los Angeles with his son. The park is just a few minutes away from their home in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood. Juan's wife, Michelle Andrade, told KTLA that while he was on an emergency phone call with a family member, their son made his way into the lake. Michelle said her husband saw their son struggling in the water and went in after him right away. Despite being able to reach his son, Juan himself got stuck near the fountain area of the lake and could not continue swimming.  At 6.30pm, Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the scene, where the teenager was pulled out of the lake relatively unharmed. Juan was submerged, according to authorities. A half hour later, firefighters found him at the bottom of the lake. He was given CPR and transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Michelle is stunned at the loss of her husband, especially because she knew him to be a strong swimmer.  Juan Andrade drowned last week in a lake in a Los Angeles park while saving his autistic son (pictured with his father, mother and two sisters) Juan, 55, was at Lincoln Park with his son when he got an emergency phone call from a relative He then noticed his son had waded out into the lake and was struggling in the water Juan immediately dove in after his son and was able to save him But for some reason, Juan was caught in an area near the fountains and could no longer swim. A half hour later, he was found at the bottom of the lake by Los Angeles Fire Department crews 'I was in shock because he knows how to swim very well,' she told KTLA. 'When he was younger, he saved his friend from drowning in the water.' The incident remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department, which has not released any other information.  Michelle described Juan as a hero, saying, 'not every dad would die for his kids'. Michelle's niece started a GoFundMe, since Michelle now has to take care of three kids without her husband's support. 'Juan’s sudden passing from an accidental drowning has left his wife and family heartbroken and facing unexpected challenges. He was a beloved husband, family member, and friend whose kindness and generosity touched everyone who knew him. Juan was always there to lend a helping hand or share a warm smile, and his absence is deeply felt by all who loved him,' the GoFundMe said. The fundraiser also explained that the family is being burdened with overwhelming costs of funeral arrangements and everyday expenses. It has raised nearly $14,000 toward a $20,000 goal. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.