Hero father of three who survived 9/11 on his second day at work at Morgan Stanley drowns while trying to save the children during a boat trip on Lake Michigan
- Luke Laidley, 43, had been celebrating the Fourth of July holiday near Chicago’s Elder Beach near Centennial Beach Park when the tragedy struck.
- He was driving a boat pulling a raft filled with a group of children when the boat capsized and Laidley jumped in trying to save them.
- CPR was performed on the hero father who died shortly after in the hospital.
A father of three who survived the 9/11 attacks on his second day on the job at Morgan Stanley drowned while trying to save a group of children on a capsized raft.
Luke Laidley, 43, had been celebrating the Fourth of July holiday near Chicago’s Elder Beach on Lake Michigan around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, pulling a raft full of children when the boat suddenly capsized.
Laidley immediately jumped into the water to save some of the children who couldn’t swim. Authorities said he was under water for about a minute before he and the children were taken to safety, Winnetka fire officials said.
CPR was performed on the hero dad before he was rushed to Evanston Hospital, where he died hours later. abc 7 chicago informed.
The married father of three children, ages 7, 5 and 3, was a Chicago native who graduated from Boston College and moved to New York to work at Morgan Stanley, what would be his first finance job after college.
The investment banking firm was the largest tenant in Tower 2 of the World Trade Center, and Laidley worked on the sixth floor.
Luke Laidley, 43, a married father of three, died after jumping into the water to save a group of drowning children when their boat capsized. His family called him a ‘devoted family man’
The ship on Chicago’s Elder Beach near Centennial Beach Park
It was his second day on the job when two planes jammed the towers and he was able to get out safely, the news outlet reported.
After 9/11, he returned to Chicago and met his wife, Lauren. The couple would later go on to have a family.
Laidley, grateful to survive such an imaginable tragedy, wrote about the near-death experience, his family told the news outlet.
He wrote: ‘I encouraged all of us to count our blessings each and every day. Give of yourself and expect nothing in return. And become part of something that is bigger than yourself.
Witness to the Lake Michigan incident, Amy McCarter, told ABC that “the gentleman who was running the boat jumped in to go get the kids, someone called 911 when some of the kids were screaming that he was having trouble swimming.”
Winnetka Fire Chief John Ripka called the incident “tragic.” The Chicago Tribune informed.
The fire marshal said it’s unclear at this time if Laidley suffered a medical emergency when she jumped into the water and drowned.
In his obituary, Laidley’s family described him as a “devoted family man” and someone who “lived a hero’s song” after surviving the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
“A true family man through and through, not only with his own wife and children, but an amazing brother to his 5 siblings, in-laws and uncle to 17 nieces and nephews,” the obituary read.
His smile lit up the room. She exuded positivity and perseverance in everything she did. She loved deeply and truly with all her heart.
‘Luke lived his life guided by his experiences and had several that allowed him to bestow compassion, love, inspiration and leadership on others. He lived the song of a hero.
