Volunteer CA Diver Finds Drowning Victims When Others Cannot

Along with summer comes an increase in drownings throughout the United States. One California man has earned a reputation for being able to locate drowning victims when other rescuers cannot.

Globally, an average of 40 people drown every hour, according to liquidadventuring.com. Often, the victim is blamed for unsafe actions in the water, which isn't always the case. Trips to the river or lake with family are supposed to be a fun time to bond, but often they turn tragic in an instant, and that's when rescuers are called in.

Get our free mobile app

Thanks to Juan, the bodies of many loved ones have been pulled from the waters of numerous lakes and rivers over the past decade when others couldn't locate them. He is a hero in every sense of the word.

I've had two close calls in the water in my lifetime. The first happened when I was nine or ten and swimming in the Pacific Ocean. The combination of strong currents and large waves took me underwater for a long period of time and it was a battle to get to the shoreline. The second time I was swimming in a lake with my young daughter when she surprised me and climbed onto my shoulders, pushing my head underwater. I remember gasping for air as I swam with her back to the shore.

Juan Heredia is a diver who has helped locate victims of drownings throughout California. Some have referred to him as a "hero." This week, he located another victim in the mountains of Central California near Pinecrest Lake. The victim was an adult male who was swimming in a popular hiking area known as Cleo's Bath.

Thanks to Juan, the bodies of many loved ones have been pulled from the waters of numerous lakes and rivers over the past decade when others couldn't locate them. He is a hero in every sense of the word.