A family has paid tribute to an ‘exceptionally caring’ man whilst trying to save his friend’s life.
Daniels Milzarii, 20, tragically died when he got into difficulty in the River Soar in Loughborough.
Leicestershire Police were called to a stretch of the river near Meadow Lane on Tuesday evening following reports that a man had got into difficulty.
On Wednesday the police recovered a body of a man, named locally as Daniels, was recovered from the water.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Daniels’s sister Justine, 16, explained how the tragedy unfolded.
Daniels Milzarii, 20, tragically died when he got into difficulty in the River Soar, in Loughborough, while trying to save a friend’s life
Leicestershire Police were called to a stretch of the river near Meadow Lane on Tuesday evening following reports that a man had got into difficulty. On Wednesday the police recovered a body of a man, named locally as Daniels, was recovered from the water
She said ‘Daniels and my friends were by the river when one of my friends, who couldn’t swim, accidentally fell into the water.’
She added that without hesitation, Daniels jumped in to help.
‘He put that boy on his back and pushed him back to safety,’ she said.
However, during his rescue effort, Daniels stepped back into a deep ditch, said his sister. ‘He was screaming for help,’ Justine said. ‘One of my friends tried jumping in to help my brother out, but all he remembered was my brother’s hand sliding off his as he went under. No one saw him after that.’
Describing her brother Justine said: ‘He was the most caring person you could ever meet, he was so caring, he was exceptionally caring, and would help anyone he met. He would be the first to help.
‘We just want him to be remembered for the fact that he lost his life by saving someone else’s.’
Family friend Niamh said: ‘He was our hero, not just for the boy he saved, but he’s a hero for always putting other people first instead of himself, no matter what the situation was.’
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay for funeral costs. It can be found by searching for Daniels Milzarijs GoFundMe.