A man tried to save a dad and daughter from drowning off Miami Beach. It ended tragically
An unconscious man was pulled from the rough surf off Miami Beach early Wednesday evening. On the sand, an 11-year-old girl told lifeguards, “That’s not my dad,” according to a police report on the incident that left two men dead.
She and her father, Kirk Munguia, 42, of Miami, were on a yellow inflatable raft about 200 feet from the beach at 54th Street around 5:30 p.m. when witnesses said a wave knocked them both in the water.
Munguia repeatedly tried getting his daughter back onto the raft, but every time he did, another wave came along and knocked her back in, witnesses told Miami Beach police.
One man, Howard Stover, 41, from Dayton, Ohio, went into the water after realizing the father and daughter were struggling to stay afloat. He was able to swim to the girl and bring her to safety on the beach, but he could not get to Munguia in time.
Stover told officers the unconscious man who lifeguards rescued also had gone into the ocean to save the family. Police identified him Thursday morning as Ariel Romero Velazquez, 49, of Hialeah.
Miami Beach Fire Rescue paramedics took Velazquez to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where doctors pronounced him dead at 6:21 p.m., according to a police report on the incident.
Meanwhile, Munguia was missing.
U.S. Coast Guard crews, as well as rescuers from other agencies, searched for him through the night. But, by morning, hopes that he would be found alive were dashed.
His body was found floating near 55th Street on Thursday morning, said Miami Beach police spokesman Officer Ernesto Rodriguez.
According to the Coast Guard, Miami Beach Ocean Rescue lifeguards found him around 10 a.m.
The families of Velazquez and Munguia could not be reached for comment.
Stover said other people also went into the water after seeing that Munguia and his daughter were in trouble.
“I’m not sure who got in the water first,” he told the Miami Herald Thursday. “I just saw they were in distress and reacted as quickly as I could.”
He said while he’s happy he was able to save the girl, he’s sad he and other citizen rescuers couldn’t reach Munguia in time, and that, in an effort to help others, Velazquez lost his life.
“Honestly, I was just trying to get to them and do what I could to help get them to safety. I’m thankful I was able to get to the little girl and wish I could have done more to help her father and the other Good Samaritan,” Stover said. “My heart truly goes out to both families. It is absolutely devastating for all involved.”
This story was originally published April 1, 2021 at 12:40 PM.
