The Ottawa Chinese community is raising money for a young family after a 40-year-old father was tragically killed as he tried to save his son from drowning during a winter vacation in Cuba.
Fanyan Bu says her husband, Yue Liu, and their seven-year-old had been swimming in the ocean at a beach resort last week when a massive wave dragged the two deep into the water.
“My son couldn’t swim very well, so my husband tried to push him to shore,” Bu told CTV Ottawa on Monday.
Bu says she and her nine-year-old daughter were at the hotel’s pool at the time of the incident.
According to witnesses, Liu managed to keep his son’s head above water as he screamed for help.
Another Canadian tourist eventually jumped into the water to try to save the pair.
After Liu and his son were pulled out of the water, efforts to resuscitate Liu were not successful.
“I miss him a lot,” Bu said. “Every time I see his picture I want to cry.”
In response to the tragedy, the Ottawa Chinese community is raising money to help the young family bring Liu’s body home and pay for funeral costs.
“In 24 hours, in one day, about $20,000 were raised by members of the Chinese community from all across Ottawa,” Andy Wang, a family supporter, told CTV Ottawa.
Anyone can donate to the cause by visiting this website.
Bu said her son has been traumatized by the experience.
“He cried a lot,” she said. “I said ‘no, your father is in heaven because he did things. If you are happy, your father will be happy in heaven.’”
