Provincial police have recovered the body of a swimmer who went missing in Lake Erie Sunday afternoon. Family members confirm Randy Lavigne as the man who saved his 13-year-old daughter in distress before going under the water and failing to resurface. Lavigne, 35, a Woodstock native and Toyota employee, is being hailed as a hero who lost his life. Lavigne and his daughter were swimming Sunday when they started to struggle. Samaritans say the current and rough waters pulled them out too far. “The young girl and her dad were swimming and having a good time, then happened to get out too far,” Brittany Chessell told CTV News via email. Chessell and her friend Melissa were the first to respond to the swimmers in distress. “The father got dragged out further than the daughter. The daughter told her dad she was getting tired and struggling. He tried to get back to her, eventually being able to reach her he was so tired he took one last breath and pushed his daughter with a wave in hopes it would bring her in closer to shore. He unfortunately went under after his last breath and did not resurface.” The search for his body lasted nearly 24 hours before he was recovered. “We just like to take this opportunity to say thank you, those good Samaritans,” said Sgt. Ed Sanchuk of West Region OPP. “I’d also like to take this opportunity to send all my sincere condolences to all family members and friends that are affected by this tragedy.”
