‘Heroic dad smiled with his dying strength to see us safe’
AHEROIC dad who died after rescuing two of his children from the sea at Barmouth gave them a final smile when he realised they were safe.
Jonathan Stevens’ heartbroken daughter, Lauren, who watched the tragedy unfold from the beach, described how her father “used all his strength” to open his eyes and see that they were all safe.
Witnesses described how the 36year-old dived into the sea at Barmouth on Sunday afternoon after hearing his children screaming and realising they were in danger.
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 youngsters were pulled to safety and Mr Stevens was brought to the shore and given CPR on the beach before being airlifted to Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor.
Mr Stevens, who was known to friends as Joff, died later on Sunday afternoon.
His partner, Laura Burford, said Mr Stevens, from Telford, Shropshire, had died a hero, “saving their babies”.
Now daughter Lauren, 11, has told how she rushed over to lifeguards and pleaded, “My dad is drowning, please save him” as she watched the horror unfold along with her fouryear-old brother, Joshua.
She revealed the harrowing moment her dad smiled for the last time after saving her sister, Lacey, 12, and brother, Jack, 10.
The youngster, speaking with her mother’s permission, told The Sun Online: “They [the lifeguards] ran into the water too and swam out to Dad but by the time they got to him his head was just bobbing up and down in the water. He looked lifeless.
“They got to him pretty quickly and swam in with him being carried between them, then when they got close to the beach they put him on his feet. The water was waist high at this point.
“Dad opened his eyes and looked over to me, Joshua, and Lacey and Jack, who by now were back with us and he gave us a smile.
“But the next second he collapsed again and the lifeguards carried him in, laid him down on the sand and gave him CPR. He never opened his eyes again.
“I think Dad had used his last bit of strength to open his eyes and smile at us and when he saw we were all OK he knew he could let go and die happily.”
Lauren said that Lacey and Jack were trying out a new bodyboard when the incident took place.
Mr Stevens was watching them from the beach with Lauren and Joshua when Lacey began screaming.
Lauren said: “I could see Lacey and Jack being swept out about 100m in just a few seconds.
“Jack was clinging to the bodyboard and I think he had the string attached to his leg but they were being pulled out so fast.
“They’re both good swimmers but it kept pulling them under the water.
Jack, especially, was really struggling and at one point he went under for about 10 seconds.
“Dad got to Lacey first and pushed her away from the current, then he went to Jack, who by now was another 50m further out.
“He got hold of him and shoved him out of the current too but I think it took all his strength because next thing Dad disappeared under the water.”
Ms Burford’s sister, Farah Parsons, said: “Joff is all our hero. My sister and her children are beside themselves, as is everyone. Joff was a wellloved person by 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.