Obituaries
Daily Herald Chief Dies Saving Kids From Rip Current
The Batavia father of three died Sunday after helping to save children from a rip current in Florida, according to reports.
BATAVIA, IL — Pete Rosengren, a Daily Herald Media Group executive, died Sunday after helping save his sons and other children from being pulled into the Gulf of Mexico in Florida, according to reports. He was 42.
Rosengren, of Batavia, rushed into the water after several children were caught in a rip current Sunday, according to fire officials in Miramar Beach, Florida, where he was vacationing with his family and friends, the Daily Herald reports.
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Access to the water was restricted that day after officials issued a double red-flag warning, Florida’s most severe water warning, the report states. However, several children did not notice the warning and ran into the water as soon the group arrived at the beach, Rosengren’s wife, Maura, told the Daily Herald.
The kids were quickly caught in a rip current and tried to swim back to shore together, but one boy could not make it, she told the newspaper.
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Rosengren rushed into the Gulf of Mexico to rescue the boy, a friend’s 9-year-old son, and raced him to employees at the private beach, the report states.
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Two other boys were rescued from the rip current, and both recovered, the Daily Herald reports.
Lifeguards performed CPR on Rosengren before an ambulance took him to a local hospital, where he later died, fire officials told the Daily Herald.
Rosengren is survived by his wife, Maura, and three sons: Gavin, 14; Charlie, 12; and Grant, 7.
Pete and Maura Rosengren would have celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary Monday, she told the Daily Herald.
In a statement, Daily Herald Media Group Scott Stone praised Rosengren's "unique compassion for others."
“Pete was always there for others. Employees, peers, family and friends. That was his DNA,” Daily Herald Media Group President Scott Stone said in a statement. “Pete had an oversized personality, quick wit, humor and unique compassion for others. It’s no surprise his final minute was spent helping others.”
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