Hero who died saving 7-year-old girl from river honored with celebration of life

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- On April 29th it will be a year since Jaime Espinoza jumped into the Kaweah River to save a stranger's life.

The 7-year-old girl survived but Jaime didn't.

Alexandra Romero remembers her younger brother, Jaime, as a hero.

"He's absolutely my hero, there's no doubt about that he will always be my hero and I know if he had to do it again. He would've, without a doubt," she expressed.

On April 29th of last year, Jaime, was visiting Slick Rock in Three Rivers and barbecuing with his friends.

The Kaweah River was rushing hard and fast from recent rain and snow runoff. When Jaime and his friends heard a mother crying for help, he didn't think twice.

Jaime jumped into the water to rescue a little girl.

"Honestly he would've done it again. He'd do it in a heartbeat," said Alexandra.

First responders also rushed to the scene and managed to save the girl and a man who were stuck on a large rock in the river.

However, Jaime had disappeared below the surface.

Alexandra and her family spent the next 30 days camping out, waiting, and searching.

The weeks of agony from not knowing where Jaime was turned into months.

Then, in October, his body was recovered.

"It hurt like the first day it did," recalled Alexandra, "It was some relief because then we were able to bring him home. The last thing he wanted was for him to be in the water for that long."

Jaime's friends say some of the last words they heard him say before jumping in to help the little girl were, "What if that was my daughter?"

Alexandra says his daughter Yazmin, who is now two years old, also keeps her father's memories close to her heart.

"We talk to her about her dad and we remind her every day how much her daddy loved her," she explained.

Jaime was a student at College of the Sequoias and at the time had recently finished some arborist courses.

Alexandra says the outpouring of support, her own children and her niece help her and her family get through the pain that remains.

Jaime Espinoza's mother has one request: to meet the family of the girl who her son helped rescue from the water.

"My mom would like for that family to come forward. She feels like that is the closure she needs, that final healing. She needs to see whose life he saved," mentioned Alexandra.

To remember Jaime, the family will host a celebration of life event from on April 29th at the Veterans Memorial Building in Visalia.

The event will run from 3 pm to 8 pm.

Everyone who knew him, or anyone who'd like to show support is invited.

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