‘Tragic': Man baptized in DFW lake drowns moments later trying to save teen girl

A good Samaritan who jumped into action at the scene of a drowning at Lake Waxahachie is calling for more safety measures to protect swimmers.

Last weekend, 21-year-old Lincer Lopez died while trying to rescue another swimmer in distress.

NBC 5 spoke with the man who brought Lopez to shore and has continued to struggle with this tragedy.

Police said on the afternoon of Aug. 24, they were called to Lake Waxahachie for a drowning. Police said a teenage girl had been struggling to swim, and 21-year-old Lincer Lopez went into the water to rescue her.

Lopez’s strength apparently failed him, and he disappeared into the lake.

“It’s just a tragic, tragic thing,” said Jacob Bell. “I’m thankful that I was there, and I’m still struggling with not being there quick enough.”

Bell was on a boat nearby and saw the teenage girl Lopez had been trying to rescue. He was able to reach her and take her to safety.

“Into my boat and gave her CPR, got her breathing again, and got her to the shore,” said Bell.

When he got there, witnesses told him Lopez hadn’t made it back, so Bell returned to the water.

“Ran across the dock area into the lake and swam around, and dove down and finally found the boy and pulled him up to safety,” said Bell. “And he had already passed.”

Bell learned that Lopez was at the lake with a church group, and he had been baptized in the water just minutes before his death.

Bell said Lopez pulled another girl back to safety and died trying to save others in need.

“Lincer was being just a hero and going and helping people,” said Bell.

The rescuer told NBC 5 that in the wake of the drowning, he believed more safety resources needed to be put in place at Lake Waxahachie, including measures like safety netting or trained lifeguards.

“There are that many kids out there, and nobody is out there watching them,” said Bell. “There should be a park official, somebody out there that has adequate training to be able to pull kids from the lake and resuscitate them, and there just wasn’t any of that.”

NBC 5 contacted the city of Waxahachie for a response to those concerns. The city responded to NBC 5's request late Monday afternoon saying:

"Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends who lost a loved one on Saturday. Lake Waxahachie does not have designated life guards or water safety personnel, but other measures are in place to promote swimmer and boater safety. There are currently signs written in English and Spanish prohibiting swimming in and around the boat dock and launch area, as well as, buoys designating a no wake area. Also, a life jacket cabinet with free loaner life jackets are available to encourage individual water safety. As part of an ongoing recent improvement project to Boat Dock Park, buoys designating a swim only area that is free of boaters are scheduled to be installed in the near future."

Supporters have launched an online fundraising campaign to raise money to send Lopez’s body back to Mexico to be buried.

It can be found by searching “Help Bring Lincer Mejia Lopez Home.”