A brave father who was trying to keep his three-year-old son’s head above water drowned.
According to the BBC, on June 11, David Cole and his kid became caught in a rip tide near West Mersea.
Sadly, Mr. Cole, 30, never came to, despite his best efforts to keep his child’s head above water.
Ms. McDonald was on the beach at the time of the event with the couple’s other son, who was one.
She said: ‘Not being able to do anything, feeling helpless, was so hard – it was horrible.
‘The lifeboat crew were just really good at splitting themselves between being with my partner and trying to resuscitate him and then looking after my three-year-old
‘It could have been my three-year-old son who drowned as well if it weren’t for them.’
A paddleboarder and two lifeguards were the first to try and help the dad and son before the RNLI crew arrived just minutes later.
Paying tribute to Mr Cole, Ms McDonald described him as ‘the best dad ever’ who ‘only wanted to have fun with the kids’.
She said: ‘He is just a hero. A hero in the sense he put his son before himself and saved his son’s life.’
Ms McDonald is now raising money for Colchester Hospital and the RNLI , which has received more £3,500 since it was set up six days ago.
Rick Boreham, a volunteer lifeboat operations manager at West Mersea RNLI, said: ‘The station’s volunteer crew is really touched that she has set up the fundraising page.
‘Katie is cordially invited to visit the station anytime and will receive a warm welcome.’