A family vacation to the California coast turned into heartbreak as a Canadian father died trying to save his daughter.
Yuji Hu, a 39-year-old dad from Calgary, had been enjoying the day at Garrapata State Beach in Carmel with his wife and their two young children when a sudden, powerful wave swept their 7-year-old daughter into the ocean.
Yuji didn’t hesitate; he ran right into the rough, freezing water to get to her. Witnesses say he briefly got hold of her before massive waves, some nearly 20 feet high, pushed them farther out. His wife also tried to swim after them but was driven back to shore by the force of the waves, where their 2-year-old child remained safe.
A beachgoer and an off-duty parks officer pulled Yuji from the water and tried to save him. He was rushed to a hospital but didn’t survive. His wife was treated for hypothermia and released the next day.
The family had hoped for days that their daughter would be found alive. Sadly, she was recovered by a volunteer diver about half a mile from where she was swept away.
Yuji’s family has asked for privacy to grieve the impossible loss of a loving husband, a devoted father, and a beloved little girl.
His is a very sad story that vividly shows a father’s endless love, which he gave in his final moments trying to protect his child as much as he could.
