The 37-year-old Lawrence man who died after saving his wife and her child from a raging New Hampshire river is being remembered as a hero who had a “pure heart of gold.”
Vincent Parr drowned following the Sunday afternoon rescue in the Swift River in White Mountain National Forest.
This drowning in a New Hampshire river comes less than a week after a Lynn woman died when she tried to help her child who had slipped into Franconia Falls.
After Parr’s wife and her child on Sunday got caught in the fast-moving currents near an eddy, Parr dove in to rescue them — but he became caught in the current himself. His wife and her child safely got to shore, but Parr didn’t immediately return to the surface amid the strong current.
He ended up slipping away for several minutes before resurfacing and receiving CPR. Parr was ultimately pronounced dead.
“Vincent was a family man and had a pure heart of gold,” reads a GoFundMe page for Parr’s funeral expenses. “He treated others how he wanted to be treated and would go out of his way to make someone smile, even if it made him look silly.”
“He was the glue that held strong and always kept positive and logical no matter what situation was thrown at him or the rest of his family,” the GoFundMe page reads. “He was the best of us and was taken 37 years young from this world. His bravery goes unmatched and we know that if he had the chance, he would do the same heroic actions of jumping into that river and saving those two lives.”
This drowning comes less than a week after 44-year-old Melissa Bagley, of Lynn, drowned following a similar incident in Franconia Falls in the White Mountain National Forest.
While at the falls, the family’s 10-year-old son fell into the water — requiring other family members to enter the pools to help the child. The family was able to rescue the 10-year-old boy, but two other family members became trapped in the rocks and current.
Bagley was one of the two other family members who became trapped. She was found in the water below the falls and despite resuscitation efforts by family members, she was pronounced dead. The other trapped family member, an 18-year-old male, was freed from the water.
The GoFundMe page titled, “Hero, Vincent Parr,” had raised more than $12,000 as of midday Tuesday.
“We are trying to ease the financial burden during this hard and stressful time and give Vincent the peace and proper service/burial that he deserves,” the GoFundMe page reads. “Any donation no matter how big or small is greatly appreciated and we thank you.
“He touched the hearts of so many and to say that he will be greatly missed is the understatement of the century,” the page adds. “There aren’t many people like Vince, he is a rare breed in the best of ways. If he ever made a difference in your life or ever left you with a smile, please come and pay your respects and say goodbye for now.”