Mays Landing family mourns death of man who died rescuing children at Weymouth Furnace Park in New Jersey
MAYS LANDING, N.J. (CBS) -- A Mays Landing family is mourning the death of a soon-to-be grandfather and hero, who authorities credit for rescuing two boys from drowning at an Atlantic County park.
Pablo Hernandez, 49, died after suffering critical injuries during the rescue Wednesday.
Joe Pagliuca, Hernandez's brother-in-law, described Hernandez as "selfless."
"[To] put yourself in a situation to save two children, and then to save them, only to have something happen to you that you can't come out yourself is just incredible," Pagliuca said. "It just talks about who he was."
Atlantic County leaders said Hernandez was visiting Weymouth Furnace in Hamilton Township when he noticed an 8-year-old and a 12-year-old struggling in this water.
Authorities said Hernandez jumped in and rescued them.
But Hernandez's family said as he pushed them up to safety, he got swept under and drowned.
The 12-year-old boy was treated and released while the 8-year-old was taken to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
"Two kids will thankfully be OK, and hopefully grow up to live amazing lives and have families of their own," Pagliuca said. "It's all because of Pablo and his selflessness."
Pagliuca said Hernandez worked as a cook at Atlantic City restaurants. He was a father to two daughters and a soon-to-be grandfather to a baby boy.
"I never met a harder working man in my life," Pagliuca said. "Always did whatever anyone around him needed him to do, whether his wife, his children, his in-laws, friends, cousins, family. Pablo was just out there to make everybody happy."