James Hammond at Lake Michigan

James Hammond was 31 years old when he was drowned in Lake Michigan near 63rd Street Beach on Monday while trying to save his 11-year-old nephew. The nephew fell from the inner tube in the lake and started to struggle. According to authorities and the Hammond family, James was on the boat with 2 girls, a 7-year-old niece and a 9-year-old family friend, and the boy floating on the tube nearby.

Hammond jumped into the water when the boy’s tube was overturned. The girls on the boat whistle and make noise to attract attention so lifeguards come to help. They pulled the boy to the shore but Hammond was not found. It was with the help of the Helicopter crew they found his body and transported him to the University of Chicago Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The boy was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in a good condition and he was released later on.

Link to the story: https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/man-dies-trying-to-rescue-his-nephew-in-water-near-63rd-street-beach/19019/