A grandfather in Alabama has been hailed as a hero after suffering a heart attack while saving his grandson during a family vacation.
The family of Charles ‘Chuck’ Graves is heartbroken after the 75-year-old saved his five-year-old grandson from drowning.
Graves had noticed that the boy had been swept away by a current and washed into the waters off Dauphin Island, Alabama.
He dove in and swam toward the boy, carrying him back to safer waters before handing him over to a family member.
The family said Grave’s final act showed how important family was to him, Valerie Belt had said he “loved them all”.
Graves jumped into the water to save his five-year-old grandson before dying of a heart attack
Graves’ obituary reiterated that nothing was more important to him than his family, and that a Celebration of Life will be held following his cremation as he wished.
Graves ordered them to return to shore, but did not follow them. Relatives knew something else was wrong and at first feared he was drowning.
First responders extricated Graves and airlifted him to the hospital, where he arrived in critical condition.
The heroic grandfather had suffered a fatal heart attack after saving the boy.
“We think that…Chuck already knew something was wrong or something was happening because he never tried to swim, even though he was out of danger,” Grave’s daughter-in-law, Valerie Belt, told WALA.
The family said Grave’s final act showed how important family was to him; Belt had said he “loved them all.”
‘That was always the only thing. It was definitely unique,’ Belt added.
Graves was born and raised in Paducah, Kentucky, before moving to Estero, Florida; the family was visiting the beach vacation spot on October 9.
“He just wanted all his kids to be together all the time,” said his daughter-in-law Valerie Belt.
Grandfather left a son, two daughters, four grandchildren and his wife, Maura. Belt said he made a point of traveling and doting on his family, especially after retiring from the U.S. Navy after four years of service.
“He just wanted all of his kids to be together all the time,” Belt told the outlet.
According to your obituaryGraves retired to Florida and spent much of his time on the water “trying to catch that big fish.” He and his wife married in 1975 and the couple would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in January.
His obituary reiterated that nothing was more important to him than his family, and that a Celebration of Life will be held after his cremation, as he wished.