Nate Davenport, father who died saving children from electrocution.Photo:Nate Davenport/Instagram
Nate Davenport/Instagram
Nate Davenport, a U.S. Navy veteran who served in the Iraq War, died saving two of his four childrenfrom an electrified fountain at the Harbourside Place shopping centerin Jupiter, Florida, reportsthePalm Beach Post,WPBFandWESH.
Three children, including Davenport’s 8-year-old and 11-year-old sons, were taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, reports thePalm Beach Post.
His mother Mary Davenport described the scene from Sunday, telling WPBF that her grandchildren were screaming, “We’re getting shocked — we’re getting shocked.”
Mary explained, “So he rushed in to save them.”
“He took a hit for his kids. We had 45 years with him. God blessed us with him. He’s an amazing man,” Mary told WPBF. “He’s loyal. He’s a good father. He’s a great husband. He loves Jesus. And yeah, he gave his life for his kids.”
“And we obviously know that he did exactly what we would expect him to do,” Davenport’s brother-in-law, Mike Bishop, told WPBF. “And you know what any father would do, hopefully, but him, especially just his character, that’s what he was.”
Davenport’s friends also shared their memories with thePalm Beach Post.
“Everything Nate did was to try and make his family better. He was just such a good person. He was like a brother to everybody," Scott Gorman, a longtime friend, told thePost.
“We have been getting so many calls and emails,” Mary told WBPF. “From clients, from friends, from other contractors, from subcontractors who have just poured their heart out to me to say how much Nate meant to them and how he impacted their life. And so that is the blessing to us.”
The Jupiter Police Department, the Town of Jupiter Building Department, Harbourside Place and Florida Power and Light (FPL) are investigating the incident. The FPL shut off power to the area to assist authorities in the investigation, reportsABC News.
Spokespeople for Harbourside Place, Jupiter Police Department and Palm Beach County Fire Rescue did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for additional information on Wednesday.
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source: people.com
