Father Dies Trying to Save His Daughters on Father's Day

A 33-year-old man who was spending Father's Day with his two daughters on the beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida tragically lost his life trying to save the girls from drowning.

Antwon Wilson of Lauderhill, Florida was on the beach in Fort Lauderdale Sunday evening when tragedy struck. According to the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, dispatchers were alerted to a drowning in the ocean near the B Ocean Resort at just after 7 p.m. local time.

Ocean Rescue lifeguards had already gone off duty at 7 p.m., but some raced to the scene after hearing the call, Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Daniel Moran told WFLA.

“They were able to turn their trucks around and be the first responders from our fire rescue department,” Moran said.

According to NBC Miami, one of Wilson's daughters, a girl "between 7 and 10 years old" was "struggling in the water" and her father was nearby trying to help her. Wilson's other daughter was also swimming and "appeared to be in distress," per police.

A Good Samaritan, identified as Eslam Saad, also attempted to intervene, but became "overwhelmed" and had to return to shore. Wilson was able to reach his daughter and "keep her afloat" until lifeguards rescued her, but went underwater himself and did not resurface.

Both children were ultimately brought safely to shore, and Wilson was found underwater minutes later and taken to shore and then to the hospital. However, lifesaving measures were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead.

“Once I got into the hospital and they made sure I’m okay, I was trying to ask about them, they told me her dad was already gone,” Saad told WSVN.

The Fort Lauderdale police are investigating the incident, but right now said it appears to be an accidental drowning, a police spokesperson told PEOPLE.