Heartbreaking photo shows moment young Hawaii father was almost rescued after jumping off cliff and struggling in ocean...before rogue wave swept him to his death

By NATASHA ANDERSON, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 14:20, 14 April 2026 | Updated: 14:29, 14 April 2026 A heartbreaking photo shows the moment a Hawaii swimmer was almost rescued by a Good Samaritan before he was swept to death in the ocean.  Mathen Jackson, 26, died Saturday afternoon after jumping off a cliff at a beauty spot on Lekeleke Bay in Kailua-Kona that is commonly referred to as the 'End of the World.' Jackson, who had been enjoying a meal with a friend before the jump, became quickly distressed in the strong current, a witness told the Hawaii Police Department. His friend called 911 and entered the water along with a bystander in an attempt to rescue Jackson, police said in a press release obtained by the Daily Mail. The bystander, former firefighter and Navy corpsman Ian Kowalczyk, towed Jackson to the edge of the cliff, but the 26-year-old was swept back out by a massive wave. A disturbing photo captured at the scene shows Kowalczyk and Jackson's friend holding the struggling swimmer near the cliff, seconds before he was swept away by a fresh wall of water.  The image shows Jackson, in coral swimming shorts, in the water with only part of his leg visible. The Daily Mail has pixelated the image because of its upsetting nature. Firefighters and two rescue swimmers arrived at the scene, rushed into the water and pulled Jackson onto a nearby boat, where they performed CPR. Sadly, it was too late. He was transported to Kona Community Hospital in critical condition and later died from his injuries.  A heartbreaking photo shows the moment Mathen Jackson was pulled to the edge of a cliff by his friend and a Good Samaritan after he was struggling to swim at a Hawaii beauty spot Mathen Jackson, 26, died Saturday afternoon after jumping off a cliff at a beauty spot on Lekeleke Bay in Kailua-Kona that is commonly referred to as the 'End of the World' An autopsy will be conducted to determine his exact manner of death. No foul play is suspected at this time. Kowalczyk told Hawaii News Now how he is devastated that he was unable to rescue Jackson. 'I just wanted to let his family know I'm really sorry, I tried as hard as I could, and I'm sorry I couldn't save him,' the Good Samaritan said.  Kowalczyk recalled how he tried to coach Jackson through the distress and urged him to float on his back. But Jackson quickly started taking on water and breathing it in, the bystander said.  'I just jumped in, and I started praying, and I was like "Jesus please, if you can help me, just please help me rescue this man,"' Kowalczyk told the outlet. The former firefighter said he thought he was going to die in the choppy water, but somehow he and Jackson's friend managed to tow him to the cliff. Kowalczyk, who described the rescue as being harder than he anticipated, said he felt 'defeated' when the wave pulled Jackson back into the ocean. Former firefighter and Navy corpsman Ian Kowalczyk jumped into the ocean to help pull Jackson back to the cliff Just moments after he was pulled in, a massive wave separated Jackson from his rescuers and pulled him back out to sea  The 26-year-old started panicking, he recalled, and Kowalczyk broke down crying because he knew if he got back into the water that he would die. Jackson's loved ones have paid tribute to him on social media. One friend shared a photo of the Kailua-Kona local, writing: 'Rest in Peace bro.' A relative, in another post, said: 'You'll be missed Baba Mathen. Can't believe you left us.' Jackson's death remains under investigation by police. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Kona Patrol Acting Sergeant Reuben Pukahi. 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.