Share and Follow
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A North Carolina community is mourning the loss of a firefighter who died while snorkeling on vacation in Turks and Caicos with his family.
Jaywon Lyons died earlier this month on a snorkeling excursion on the island shortly after taking a photo, his girlfriend, Sonya Moore, told The Greenville Daily Reflector.
“I rushed over and I literally couldn’t even stand while they were doing CPR,” Moore told the outlet. “I had my parents take my son and I just remained with him. We tried to get him stable. He was stable for a while.”
Authorities transported Lyons to a local hospital, and Moore tried to schedule an ICU flight back to the United States.
Edgecombe County remembered Lyons as one of the county’s first firefighters in a June 7 Facebook post.
Jay Lyons leaves behind two daughters, ages 3 and 1. (Edgecombe County)
“As one of Edgecombe County’s first firefighters, he served with courage, kindness, and a heart for others. His impact was felt far beyond our team, and all who knew him admired and loved him,” the county said.
A GoFundMe for the firefighter titled “Continued help for Jaywon’s Family” says Lyons’ body was returned to North Carolina on June 23.
Lyons leaves behind two daughters, ages 3 and 1.