Family of man who drowned in Kings River remembers his love for life

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Russell Mayfield's household says helium loved 3 things successful life: God, his household and the outdoors.

"He spent truthful overmuch clip successful the water, connected the water, successful the kayak. He was a precise harmless man," said his daughter, Jessica Keiscome.

Keiscome said her begetter was an experienced outdoorsman.

She said connected Friday, her dada took his kayak retired to the Kings River adjacent Pine Flat Dam and felt harmless successful the conditions.

During his trip, helium fell into the acold h2o for much than 15 minutes.

The Fresno County Sheriff's Office said witnesses tried to help, but the existent was excessively strong.

"He got caught successful that unsafe presumption up against the bridge. So, it's astir similar being trapped successful a washing machine. It's similar this whirlpool effect wherever you get stuck," said Public Information Officer Tony Botti.

Mayfield's household is present grappling with the unimaginable loss.

The 65-year-old was joined to his wife, Mary, for 42 years.

They had 5 children and 15 grandchildren.

Mayfield's girl said helium was ever the archetypal to measurement up to assistance idiosyncratic successful request and recovered joyousness successful being outdoors.

"Definitely spending clip successful instauration brought him peace," said Keisome.

Two days later, connected Easter Sunday, a 2nd calamity happened connected the Kings River.

30-year-old Everardo Saucedo was swimming adjacent Winton Park with a person erstwhile they began to struggle.

Video shared by Fresno County CAL FIRE shows a chopper helping with the rescue. Saucedo was pulled from the h2o and was flown to the hospital, wherever helium aboriginal died.

His person was recovered harmless connected an land successful the river.

The sheriff's office, on with Mayfield's family, urges radical to enactment retired of the water.

"Because if it could hap to my dad, past everyone's successful information due to the fact that he's the slightest apt victim," said Keiscome.

Last year, the sheriff's bureau said determination were 8 drownings successful our lakes and rivers.

They privation radical to cognize they won't person deputies patrolling rivers successful Fresno County until Memorial Day, which is implicit a period away.

So, if you get successful occupation connected the water, you whitethorn beryllium waiting a agelong clip for help.

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