Man dies after falling in Fort Lauderdale river despite life-saving efforts by good Samaritan

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — An investigation is ongoing after the death of a man in Fort Lauderdale.

According to authorities, a call came in around 5:07 a.m. regarding a possible drowning along the 200 block of Southwest Second Avenue.

Local 10 News spoke to a man who tried to save that victim before rescue crews arrived.

The man who asked not to be identified said he was sitting along the Riverwalk with his girlfriend when he saw an older man stumble into the water.

He says he went in after him without hesitation.

“I went in myself, I grabbed him by his two hands,” the man said. “’Bro, what are you doing? You know you’re in the water, right?’”

For a moment, that good Samaritan thought he could bring the older man to safety, but said that the situation quickly changed.

“That’s when I slipped in the water,” he said. “After that, I get all wet and after that he went under the water. I had him for a little second and then he pulled away from me and fell into the water and he never came back up.”

First responders rushed to the scene but the man who fell in the water did not survive.

Investigators said the death is being classified as undetermined, though they say it appears the man drowned.

Now, detectives are working to figure out exactly what happened before the man ended up in the water.

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About The Author
Isabella Martin

Isabella Martin

Isabella Martin joined the reporting team at WPLG in July 2025.