Utah County man remembered as a hero after drowning while saving family member

KSL TV

4 photos
Save Story

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • Daniel Braga Figueiredo, 31, drowned saving his 12-year-old sister-in-law at Silver Lake.
  • Friends describe Figueiredo as devoted to family, known for his joyful spirit.
  • A GoFundMe supports his wife and three young children after his tragic death.

HIGHLAND — Friends and family are mourning the loss of a Utah County man who died a hero over the weekend while rescuing a loved one at Silver Lake Reservoir.

Daniel Braga Figueiredo, 31, drowned Saturday evening after helping his 12-year-old sister-in-law, who was struggling in the water while paddleboarding. According to the Utah County Sheriff's Office, Figueiredo went under and never resurfaced.

"We were able to recover him. Unfortunately, he was found deceased," said Sgt. Ray Ormond with the Utah County Sheriff's Office.

Those who knew Figueiredo say his final act of bravery was a true reflection of the life he lived.

"People who knew Daniel knew that his main goal, his main priority, would be to take care of his family," said Gabriel Coelho, a close friend. "The world was a happier place with Daniel in it."

Daniel Braga Figueiredo is pictured alongside his expecting wife and two other children in this undated photo. He died Saturday while rescuing a loved one at Silver Lake Reservoir.
Daniel Braga Figueiredo is pictured alongside his expecting wife and two other children in this undated photo. He died Saturday while rescuing a loved one at Silver Lake Reservoir. (Photo: Figueiredo family)

Figueiredo was known for his joyful spirit and his devotion to his wife and three young children — the youngest just a month old. A photo shared on a GoFundMe page shows the young family smiling together, a moment now cherished by those left behind.

"His family was his most cherished thing," Coelho said. "They always liked to be outdoors, exploring together."

The tragedy occurred around 7 p.m. Saturday, prompting an immediate search and recovery effort. Despite the heartbreaking outcome, Figueiredo's loved ones say his legacy will live on.

"We want to honor his legacy of service, his legacy of putting himself out there to help others," Coelho added. "His final selfless act doesn't come as a surprise — it's the perfect reflection of who he was."

A *GoFundMe has been set up to support Figueiredo's wife and children during this difficult time.


*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

Photos

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

Related stories

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

Debbie Worthen, KSLDebbie Worthen
Debbie Worthen brings nearly two decades of award-winning journalism experience to the KSL Newsroom and is thrilled be working for Utah’s legacy news organization. She anchors KSL 5 News at 4 and Live at 5 with Mike Headrick and reports for KSL 5 News at 10pm. There are countless things Debbie enjoys about working in local news, but storytelling is at the top of the list. Whether it’s meeting the remarkable people of Utah as they do amazing things, informing viewers of critical breaking news and issues that impact their communities or reporting on daily assignments like weather and traffic, Debbie is honored to be the one trusted to tell Utahn’s stories. She believes journalistic integrity and a commitment to accuracy have never been more important than they are now. Debbie started her career as a writer, producer and traffic reporter while finishing her communications degree at The University of Utah before making the jump to a full-time on-air position. (Although you could say she caught the news “bug” at KOLT-News at Cottonwood High School.) After several moves across the country, Debbie and her husband, Brandon Gilbert, moved to Utah to start their family. They love everything Utah has to offer and can’t imagine living anywhere else. Outside the office, Debbie and her family are advocates for at-risk youth and have fostered several children through Utah Foster Care. As a family they enjoy movie nights in the basement, trying new recipes and, a few times a year, traveling to exotic locations!
KSL.com Beyond Series
KSL.com Beyond Business

KSL Weather Forecast

KSL Weather Forecast
Play button