By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A Toledo father died after saving his child on the Toutle River yesterday afternoon.
Benjamin Brooks
Thirty-five-year-old Benjamin Brooks, his wife and kids were swimming a few miles east of the town of Toutle when the 9-year-old boy had an issue in the water, according to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office.
Both parents and their daughter jumped in to help him, but then all four struggled to swim and stay afloat, the sheriff’s office reports.
The son was climbing on his dad when the dad pushed his son towards the shore; and the mom was able to get her son to safety with the assistance of her daughter.
Brooks had gone underwater and did not make it to shore.
The daughter went to the roadway to try to get help and flagged down a firefighter from Toutle, at milepost 19 Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, according to the sheriff’s office.
It was about 3:15 p.m. and her father had been in the river for about a half an hour by then.
Members of fire departments from Toutle and Castle Rock responded along with deputies and Cowlitz County Dive Team members.
Dive team personnel located Brooks’ body underwater near the point where was last seen.
None of them had been wearing life jackets, according to the sheriff’s office.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Breaks my heart. I can’t begin to imagine what that family is and will always be going through and feeling. My prayers are with you.
My sincere condolences to the Brooks family.
You’re a hero Mr. Brooks. Rest in peace.
Oh so sad!! That father saved his son…and is a hero!! Condolences to the family! ALWAYS use life jackets in and around waterways folks!! 🙁