WILMORE, Pa. (WJAC) — Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees provided an update Tuesday after two men were found floating in the Wilmore Dam by a group of kayakers June 9.
Lees identified the two men June 10 as 78-year-old Francis Frear and 68-year-old Dennis Livingston from Mineral Point.
According to Lees, the two men were good friends and were fishing from a boat when Frear suffered from a cardiac event and fell into the water which was about 30 feet deep.
Lees says Livingston drowned when he jumped in to try to help his friend.
The two men were found around 5:30 p.m. – Frear was pronounced dead at the scene and Livingston died at Conemaugh Hospital around 7 p.m., Lee said.
Lees ruled Frear’s death natural and Livingston’s death an accidental drowning.
He says it was about 90 degrees that day – one of the hottest days of the year – and both men suffered from heart problems.
"It's definitely a sad situation,” Lees said. “Both men were from the Mineral Point area, good buddies, fished together a lot, both of their spouses are friends both families said with this being a tragic event, they died doing something they loved to do."
He added that there were three unused life vests on the boat.
"When you are out on a boat, you know, the life preservers are a life saver,” Lees said. “And let's face it, when it's extremely warm, nobody wants to wear them, but you know, especially in this case here, it just solidifies the importance of a life preserver when you're on the water."
He added that the elderly should pay attention to the temperature if they're going to be outside for an extended period of time.
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