Family members are mourning after two men in their 70s died in a diving accident in the waters off Rockport Wednesday.
Emergency crews first responded on Wednesday after officials said they were notified of a diver in medical distress on Front Beach in Rockport around 11 a.m. Rockport Police Chief John Horvath and Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker in a joint statement said the diver was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities then launched a search later in the day after officials said they learned a second diver was unaccounted for. The search continued for hours and ultimately ended when officials said they recovered the second diver’s body late Wednesday afternoon.
While an investigation was ongoing, officials on Thursday said the deaths were apparent drownings and identified the individuals who died as Alan De Oliveira Leao, 75, and Richard Brady, 78.
Officials said there did not seem to be any signs of foul play.
“These two were a pretty awesome duo,” said Alan Leao Jr.
Leao Jr. is the son of De Oliveira Leao and the nephew of Brady. He and his family were still shocked by the loss Thursday.
“My dad — he was an awesome guy,” Leao Jr. said. “And he was a proud, hardcore, oldschool, tough guy who wouldn’t put up with anything, but people loved him.”
Leao Jr. said his father and uncle were avid divers who dove all over the world.
“They were just the toughest guys you know,” Leao Jr. said. “These guys acted like they were in their 30s. They were doing things that their bodies probably wouldn’t want them to do but they did them because they were determined and they were competitive and they wanted to be out. That was them.”
Leao Jr. continued, saying it was his father and uncle’s love of family and community that they’ll be missed for most.
Leao Jr. said his father, a Brazilian immigrant, helped start a soccer league in Pepperell and would DJ the town’s teen dances for free.
Brady was a master diver who leaves behind a family.
“I’m lucky because I had a great father and a great uncle and a great family,” Leao Jr. said.
“My father had a saying — ‘Life is beautiful’ — and that’s it,” Leao Jr. continued.
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