Los Angeles father dies while trying to save his son from Lincoln Park Lake

Heartbroken and grieving, a Los Angeles family remembers Juan Andrade as a hero after he tried to save his son, who has autism, from the Lincoln Park Lake. 

It happened nearly two weeks ago when his son Kevin Andrade, who has autism and can't swim, waded into the water while Juan was on a phone call nearby. 

"The water was up to here," Michelle Andrade said while pointing to her 

Michelle said that as soon as her husband noticed, he jumped into the water. He drowned while trying to rescue his son.

"He got close to my son, and he was trying to push my son out of the water, but unfortunately, he passed away before that happened," Michelle said. 

Juan, 55, was the main caretaker for his son. He brought him to the park near their home to keep him engaged with the world.

"My dad would take him around walking because my brother's favorite thing is walking, going to parks, stores, meeting people," daughter Ruby said.

Ruby and her sister Esmeralada said that, as heartbreaking as it is, their dad's death exemplified how loving a father he was. 

"He was willing to sacrifice himself for any of us because he loved us so much," Esmeralda said. 

Michelle said medical professionals at the hospital told her that Juan drowned after his leg got caught in the lake's fountain, trapping him under the water.

Witnesses said a first responder pulled Kevin out of the water. 

The Andrades are raising money to pay for Juan's funeral and to hire a professional caretaker for Kevin. 

"He knows his father is in heaven," Michelle said.