Fil-Am dies in Chicago while trying to save his drowning pet dog.
The 29-year old Filipino-American Michael Fernandez jumped into the Lincoln Park Lagoon when he saw his dog struggling to float in water, Saturday night.
Fernandez’s dog is a Siberian Husky named “Sora” whom he dearly loved.
Reports say that Fernandez’s girlfriend also jumped in after him. She and Sora managed to resurface but Fernandez did not make it and was nowhere to be found.
It took 19 hours to locate Fernandez’s body due to the murky waters of the lagoon. 10 divers helped together to search for his body’s recovery from the water.
Fil-Am dies in Chicago a hero
The Fil-Am community in Chicago mourns the tragic death of Michael Ferndance who “heroically” saved his dog. CBS report said Fernandez’s body was “pulled from the Lincoln Park South Lagoon on Monday, a day after he jumped in after his dog and never resurfaced.”
The community says, “The Filipino American Council of Greater Chicago expresses deep and heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. May his memory be a blessing to all who knew and love him.”
Fernandez is remembered as the loving son of Katherine “Kandy” Fernandez-Palacios and Yalcin Atli. He is also a faithful partner to Ashley Sandefur. Fernandez works as a bodybuilder and a limo driver.
A GoFundMe page was set up to raise funds for Fernandez’s funeral expenses. His friends and family are trying to raise $10,000, $8,210 of which were collected as of Wednesday.
The fundraising page read, “Michael was only 29 years old who lost his life in a way that no one could imagine. A young sweetheart that didn’t have enough time to enjoy his life to the fullest, create his family, his life adventures. God took too early from this earth. Please help his family create a wonderful memorial for our dearest friend,MICHAEL FERNANDEZ.”
His memorial visitation is scheduled on August 30 at Smith-Corcoran Funeral Home in Cicero Avenue, Chicago.