DAD DIES ‘A HERO RESCUING HIS CHILDREN’
TRIBUTES have been paid to a “hero” father-of-seven who died after getting into difficulty in the sea off the Welsh coast.
Jonathan Stevens, 36, had been on a family trip to Barmouth, Gwynedd, when three of his children were caught by a rip tide.
He jumped in and tried to pull his children to safety before a major rescue operation was launched, which included the lifeboat and the Coastguard search-and-rescue helicopter.
The three youngsters were pulled to safety. Mr Stevens was brought to the shore and given CPR on the beach before being airlifted to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.
Mr Stevens – known to friends as Joff – died later on Sunday afternoon.
His heartbroken partner Laura Burford said Mr Stevens, from Telford, Shropshire, had died a hero, “saving their babies”.
In a statement, she said: “I am absolutely devastated to say that I have lost the complete love of my life. All seven of his beautiful kids have lost their dad. He died saving his kids’ lives in the sea.
“There are no words to describe the pain. I will always be grateful to [him] for bringing our babies back.”
Ms Burford’s sister Farah Parsons said: “Joff is all our hero. My sister and her children are beside themselves, as is everyone.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up for Ms Burford, and for Mr Stevens’ children, by friend Mel Plowman. She described Mr Stevens as a “true hero”, and said she hoped to raise money to support Mr Stevens’ loved ones.
A spokesman for North Wales Police said: “Police and the Coastguard were called at 1.58pm on Sunday to a report that a man had got into difficulty in the sea in Barmouth.
“The man was taken by air ambulance to Ysbyty Gwynedd, where he tragically died.”
A Coastguard spokesman said: “At 1.31pm HM Coastguard received a 999 call reporting people in the water off Barmouth and sent Barmouth coastguard rescue team, Barmouth RNLI lifeboat, and HM Coastguard’s fixed wing aircraft.
“Barmouth harbour master and the Coastguard rescue helicopter and helimed also attended. A male casualty was recovered from the water and transferred to Ysbyty Gwynedd in a serious condition.”
The GoFundMe page is at https://www.gofundme. com/f/a-gift-for-the-children-fromtheir-hero