Clearwater Fire & Rescue and Clearwater Police responded to a drowning call at approximately 2:33 p.m on Monday, July 6, 2020.
Police say a 55-year-old Thanh Nguyen visiting from Atlanta noticed two family members having trouble in the water near Tower 3 on Clearwater Beach. He entered the water to try to help them. That’s when he began having trouble himself.
Lifeguards were notified and they found Nguyen floating in the water. They began CPR on the man until fire medics from Clearwater Fire & Rescue arrived on scene.
Nguyen was taken to Morton Plant Hospital, where he was pronounced dead less than an hour after the initial call.
He had seen his niece and son struggling in the water when he went in to try to help. His family members safety exited the water.