It was supposed to be a fun-filled day with the family that ended in tragedy, and like most tragedies, it struck when it was least expected. This time it came in the form of a faulty swimming pool wiring.
Jim Tramel, a tech executive in California, was watching his daughter swim in the pool with several others.
Then all of a sudden, a faulty wiring sent high voltage through the water.
Seeing her daughter struggle in the pool, Jim jumps in without hesitation and saves her. But he, too, was electrocuted.
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According to a PEOPLE report, both Jim and her daughter had to be pulled out of the pool by other family members and friends at the gathering.
“Five other people, including four other kids, were also electrocuted, though not as severely, police said.”
By the time the paramedics arrived at the family’s Palm Springs vacation house, Jim and his daughter were receiving CPR.
Jim Tramel; Photo credit: PEOPLE
“Tramel was pronounced dead at Desert Regional Medical Center a short time later,” said the same report. “His daughter was said to be in critical condition at Loma Linda Medical University.”
Jim is remembered by his friends and neighbours as a kind, loving, friendly fellow.
“He was really nice, good to the kids, always see him jumping on the trampoline back here,” his neighbour Alex Weatherford, told ABC news.
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Now the Palm Springs Police Department encourages people to check their pools for faulty pool equipment and corrosive wires regularly.
“Word of this tragedy is spreading, not just through the neighbourhood, but online as well,” ABC News said. “Messages of sadness and sorrow fill Jim Tramel’s Facebook page.”
Jim’s family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the medical bills incurred in the tragedy, and as of this writing it has exceeded its target of $150k, raking in more than $163k from random strangers.
Now roses lay at the family’s front door as a tribute to Jim and his sacrifice for his family.
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