A New York man is being remembered as a hero after he died while attempting to save a mother and son from drowning.
Jamie Lambros, 48, from Long Island, N.Y., had been on cruise vacation with his family at Horseshoe Bay Beach in Bermuda on Oct. 7 when he came across a mother and her 10-year-old son in need of help in the water, according to WABC-TV, WNBC and the New York Post.
His family told WNBC that despite not being a strong swimmer, he bravely jumped in to try to help, and eventually the mother and son made it safely back to shore. However, Lambros died in his attempts to save the pair.
“In his final moments, Jamie showed the courage and selflessness that those who knew him will always remember,” reads a GoFundMe dedicated to Lambros. “He died a hero, giving his life so another could live.”
Lambros’ mother, Phyllis Gasparri, told WNBC that a woman had tried to help Lambros and pulled him to shore, but it was too late.
Lambros’ loved ones remembered him in their GoFundMe message as “someone whose laughter filled any room and whose heart was as big as his spirit.” Gasparri told WNBC that her son’s heroic actions that day reflected the kind of man “he was.”
“He went into the water to save that kid,” she said. “That’s who he was. He will give you the shirt off his back, he will help anyone.”
Lambros’ brother, Joey Pappas, told WABC-TV that Lambros was his “hero” when he was a kid and “he was my hero now.” His family added in the GoFundMe that Lambros’ death “leaves an unimaginable void in all our lives.”
In light of the tragedy, the family is warning tourists on vacation to be wary of the popular beach vacation spot. Gasparri told WABC-TV that “there’s no rescue skis, there’s no emergency teams that’s gonna get there in time.”
Bermuda police told the outlet that there were signs posted on the beach that warned people of rough waters due to it being hurricane season. However, the family said more needs to be done.
“We want change, we want tourists to be safe, we never want anyone else to feel this pain ever,” Pappas said.
