John F. Morris, Jr., died attempting to save Angela E. Velasco from drowning, Navarre, Florida, April 4, 2011. Velasco, 40, was swimming in the Gulf of Mexico with her 6-year-old daughter when she lost her footing and became caught in a strong current in water beyond her depth. A friend of the family, Morris, 23, tree service employee, was nearby. He took Velasco’s daughter to shore and then turned back for Velasco, the current taking him beyond her. Velasco struggled toward shore and was aided to safety by others. Responding firefighters located Morris at a point about 150 feet from shore. They removed him from the water and attempted to revive him, but he had drowned.
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