Loved ones are mourning a father who drowned in a lake in Lincoln Heights while saving his son’s life.
On April 14, Juan Andrade, 55, was spending time at Lincoln Park with his 14-year-old son, a familiar spot in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood located just a few minutes from their home.
His wife, Michelle Andrade, said Juan had taken an emergency phone call from a family member when he realized his son, who has autism, somehow made his way into a lake at the park.
He saw the boy struggling in the water and immediately jumped in after him. Juan was able to get his son to safety, but for some reason, the 55-year-old became stuck near the fountain area and couldn’t continue swimming.
Juan Andrade, 55, died after rescuing his son from the lake at Lincoln Park in Los Angeles on April 14, 2026. (Andrade Family)
Juan Andrade, 55, (on left) is seen with his wife, Michelle Andrade, and their three children. (GoFundMe)
First responders gather along the shoreline of Lincoln Park in Lincoln Heights as crews rescue two people from the water. April 2026. (Citizen)
First responders gather along the shoreline of Lincoln Park in Lincoln Heights as crews rescue two people from the water. April 2026. (Citizen)
First responders gather along the shoreline of Lincoln Park in Lincoln Heights as crews rescue two people from the water. April 2026. (Citizen)
Juan Andrade’s son who he rescued from drowning at a lake in Lincoln Park in Los Angeles. (Andrade Family)
Juan Andrade is seen with his wife, Michelle Andrade. (GoFundMe)
The lake at Lincoln Park in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. (KTLA)
Los Angeles Fire Department crews responded to the lake around 6:30 p.m. The 14-year-old boy was pulled from the water in fair condition. His father, however, remained submerged.
About 30 minutes later, crews found the man at the bottom of the lake. CPR was performed on him and he was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Michelle said receiving the news that her husband had died was unimaginable.
“To lose somebody, there are no words to explain,” she told KTLA’s Lindsey Pena.
Michelle said she still had questions about the circumstances surrounding her husband’s drowning.
“I was in shock because he knows how to swim very well,” she said. “When he was younger, he saved his friend from drowning in the water.”
While grieving her husband’s loss, Michelle said she has been working hard to care for their three children. “He was a hero because not every dad would die for his kids,” she said.
The creator of a GoFundMe page to help the family wrote, “Juan’s sudden passing from an accidental drowning has left his wife and family heartbroken and facing unexpected challenges. He was a beloved husband, family member, and friend whose kindness and generosity touched everyone who knew him. Juan was always there to lend a helping hand or share a warm smile, and his absence is deeply felt by all who loved him.”
The GoFundMe page to help the Andrade family with funeral expenses can be found here.
No further details on the incident were released as the case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department.
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