Man who drowned while saving two boys awarded the Carnegie Medal for Heroism posthumously

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - Jeff Brady, the man who drowned while saving two boys last year, has been posthumously awarded the Carnegie Medal for Heroism earlier this week.

According to the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, Brady is one of 18 people who risked "serious injury or death, or were killed, saving or attempting to save others in acts of extraordinary heroism."

Brady, who moved from San Diego to Yuma two months prior to his death, was posthumously awarded the medal for trying to save his girlfriend's nephews from drowning during an outing at Martinez Lake last July.

The Hero Fund says Brady struggled to stay afloat while saving the boys, and says once the boys were rescued, Brady went underwater and did not resurface.

While the boys were being evaluated by first responders, local agencies, including the Yuma County Sheriff's Office, found and pronounced Brady dead.

In addition to the medal, a GoFundMe was set up following his death to not only help his family, but to honor Brady's memory.

The GoFundMe has a goal of $120,000, with nearly $110,000 raised so far. If anyone would like to donate to the GoFundMe, click here.