Hero father used his dying breaths to save teen sons from killer rip current off Martha's Vineyard

Published: 22:29, 10 August 2026 | Updated: 22:29, 10 August 2026 A beloved father sacrificed his life to save his two teenage sons after they were swept into a deadly riptide off Martha’s Vineyard.  Kevin Foster, 55, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, was with his family at Long Point beach on July 31 when he heard four swimmers crying for help after being caught in a powerful rip current.  As Foster rushed into the water to rescue the swimmers - including his two sons - he was pulled into the powerful current.  First responders were alerted to the scene at 3.47pm, rushing to help as they and other Good Samaritans pulled the swimmers back to shore. Foster was also pulled from the water, unconscious and not breathing.  'Every available lifesaving measure was taken' to try and save the father, West Tisbury Police Chief Bradley Cortez told MV Times. He was taken by ambulance at 4.23pm to Martha's Vineyard hospital, where he later died. Foster leaves behind his two sons, Kaden and Kenneth, and his wife, Nadia. The grief-stricken wife opened up about the tragedy on a memorial website. 'This loss is unimaginable, and our grief is immense. As my sons, Kaden and Kenneth, his mother, Ms. Racelle Devoe, and I, along with our family and closest community, mourn Kevin, I ask that you allow us privacy and time,' Nadia said. 'Our family is deeply grateful to the lifeguards, firefighters, EMS personnel, law enforcement, and the brave members of the public who selflessly entered the water to help those in distress, and who did everything they could in an extraordinary and heartbreaking situation.' Kevin Foster, 55, died while attempting to save his two sons from a dangerous rip current The tragedy unfolded at Long Point beach off Martha's Vineyard 'Their courage, compassion, and professionalism will never be forgotten,' the family said in the statement. A GoFundMe page set up to support the grieving family has already drawn an outpouring of support, raising more than $250,000 as of Monday.  The beach does not have lifeguards and was experiencing really strong currents that day, the Vineyard Gazette reported. 'I stopped going in midway through the day beyond 10 feet in because it was getting more and more violent,' witness Kelly McNeil told the outlet. Cambridge state Rep Marjorie Decker, who grew up with Nadia and is close to the family, said the father's death was 'devastating' in a heartfelt social media tribute.  'For those who know our family, you know that Nadia has been my sister in every way but blood since we were five years old, growing up together on Fairmont Street,' she wrote on Facebook. 'Kevin became family from the moment he entered our lives. He was like a brother to me, an uncle to my children, another son to my mother, and above all, an extraordinary husband, devoted father, and cherished friend,' she added. Decker said the late father was an advocate for affordable housing, as he served on Cambridge’s Community Preservation Act committee. The grieving family said the loss is 'unimaginable,' according to Foster's memorial website Foster, pictured here with one of his sons, served on Cambridge’s Community Preservation Act committee and advocated to preserve affordable housing Long Point Wildlife Refuge in West Tisbury off of Martha's Vineyard 'To know the Fosters is to know what community truly means. They have spent their lives opening their home and hearts to others, making everyone feel welcome, valued and loved. 'The love surrounding them now is a reflection of the countless lives they touched,' Decker added.