The courageous father, who tragically lost his life while rescuing two children, was fishing with his young son despite not knowing how to swim.
Marvin Alexan Fernandez Chicas had taken his 3-year-old son Dylan and a few friends for a day out at Lake Nockamixon. In a heartfelt GoFundMe post, the family revealed that he had “drowned in the lake, giving his life for two children” who were struggling in the water.
Although the two children were saved, the 37-year-old father disappeared beneath the surface and tragically passed away on Thursday evening.
Haycock Township Fire Chief Harry Grim explained that Chicas noticed the distress of the two children near Tohickon Creek in the cliffs area at around 5 p.m. He immediately sprang into action, despite his inability to swim. Grim further stated, “Unfortunately he can’t swim. The kids got out, he did not.”
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), Chicas’ body was discovered two hours later after an extensive search involving ten divers.
“He was a man who liked fishing and that day he [was] doing what he liked together with some friends and son,” expressed his family in the online fundraising campaign, reflecting on his passion for fishing.
The funds raised through the campaign would be utilized to repatriate his body to his mother in Honduras and to support his wife and young son, who now face financial difficulties in his absence.
Describing him as a dedicated and loving father, the fundraiser emphasized that his son never wanted to be apart from him. Following his selfless and brave actions, he became a hero in the eyes of everyone.
It is important to note that swimming in Tohickon Creek and Lake Nockamixon is prohibited by the DCNR. “Unfortunately, people don’t follow the rules, and the sad reality is it’s not a smooth, gradual slope under the water, and they step off into a deep area, they take a gulp of water and they die, unfortunately,” explained Chief Grim. “It shouldn’t happen, but it does.”
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