Wife speaks after Lawrenceville man dies saving son in lake

By Tori Cooper

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    LAWRENCEVILLE, Georgia (WANF) — A Father’s Day weekend for Constantin Pascal went terribly wrong after a family boat ride on Lake Hartwell.

The father of two boys, ages nine and six, decided to take his nine-year-old son Daniel for a boat ride Friday.

Pascal’s mother was also visiting from Romania and she joined in on the boat ride for the day out on the lake with her son and grandson.

Pascal was looking forward to celebrating Father’s Day, his upcoming 11th wedding anniversary and his son’s birthday on June 30.

However, those plans were cut short Friday on the boat ride.

Pascal was pulling Daniel on a tube from the boat when he noticed Daniel’s life vest was unfastened.

Daniel was beginning to drown so Pascal jumped in to save his son. Pascal pushed him towards shore and told Daniel to get help.

Daniel was rescued but Pascal never resurfaced.

“He put his hands on his chest and my mother-in-law saw him gargling and then she didn’t see him. After that we were searching,” Pascal’s wife Anna said.

Pascal’s mother was still on the boat in shock that her strong 45-year-old son who she flew thousands of miles to see was now gone forever.

The tag on the life vest Daniel was wearing was U.S. Coast Guard approved but it was old, and family members said it didn’t quite fit Daniel the right way.

Experts say life vests lose buoyancy over time and inspecting equipment before use can save your life.

Pascal didn’t have a life vest on when he jumped in the water to save his son.

“I feel like I don’t have anyone else, he’s my partner, my half is not here by my side, and I don’t know what to do without my husband. He was so wonderful,” Mrs. Pascal said.

Pascal now leaves behind everything he held close.

“For the rest of my life I will have regrets,” Anna said.

So far this year 21 people have drowned in Georgia according to the Department of Natural Resources.

Anna is just hoping this reminds you to double-check your equipment.

“He always said he doesn’t need a life jacket. Put a life jacket on because if you don’t, you will not know.”

Pascal’s funeral will be held June 22.

Members of their church have set up a GoFundMe account in case you want to help support Pascal’s widow during her time of loss.

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