Latest news with #JuanHeredia
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Yahoo
‘Heartbreaking': Diver unable to find missing woman after 2-day search in Sequoia National Park
Volunteer diver Juan Heredia of Angels Recovery Dive Team posted a wrenching message on Facebook Monday morning after traveling to the treacherous waters of Sequoia National Park on Saturday, July 12, in a renewed search for Jomarie Calasanz. 'After two long, hot days searching for Jomarie, we covered 5-7 miles—diving in pools, under boulders, searching the shores—and we couldn't find her,' he posted. 'It's heartbreaking to come out of the water after 8 hours each day and tell the family I couldn't bring her home.' Calasanz, 26, of Los Angeles, was swept away while trying to save her sister May 25. She vanished after jumping into the swift currents of the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River near Paradise Creek Bridge. Her family says she was trying to rescue her older sister, Joanne, who had been caught in the waters during a Memorial Day weekend outing. 'It's been 49 days since she went missing. The river was about four feet higher back then… I knew the odds were against me, but I had to try,' Heredia said, vowing not to give up. 'While taking the first dip of the day, Joanne started to get swept away,' reads a tribute on the family's GoFundMe page. 'With a brave, loving heart and amazing courage, Jomarie, being a swimmer, instantly swam to save her sister.' Both women were pulled under, but only Joanne made it out. A nine-day, multi-agency search followed, but dangerous river conditions forced officials to scale back efforts. 'Jomarie could still be located within the park,' officials said at the time, 'but divers are unable to complete an underwater search of the river.' Heredia — a volunteer diver known for recovering drowning victims across the U.S. — took up the mission in an effort to find her. 'I must find Jomarie and bring her home,' Heredia posted on Facebook before beginning the search. 'Her parents have been living in agony for too many weeks.' Heredia, who began diving at 18 in his native Argentina, has recovered the remains of several missing people this year alone, according to reporting by the Stockton Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. In June, he located three men trapped beneath a waterfall in Placer County. In March, he helped find a missing Oregon toddler. And in January, he recovered the body of 17-year-old Wesley Cornett after a 21-day search that spanned Christmas and New Year's. His first recovery mission began in 2023, when he helped locate 15-year-old Xavier Martinez, who disappeared in Stockton's Calaveras River. Since then, Heredia has turned his recreational passion into a calling — one that's earned him recognition from the Stockton City Council and the gratitude of grieving families across the country. As a father, Heredia says he understands the pain of not knowing. In his living room, he keeps photos of every person he's recovered — smiling portraits that help him replace the haunting images from the water. 'My way of erasing that image when I found them in the state I found them is to have that photo in my living room,' the Stockton mortgage lender said. 'I always have them smiling in my living room, and I look at them every day.' Never swim alone: Always swim with a buddy, and be aware of your surroundings. Wear a life jacket: Even strong swimmers should wear a properly fitted and U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. Know your limits: Be realistic about your swimming abilities and the conditions. Check the weather and water conditions: Be aware of currents, tides, and other hazards. Swim in designated areas: If possible, swim in areas with lifeguards or designated swimming zones. Avoid alcohol and drugs: Intoxication impairs judgment and can make it difficult to swim safely. Enter the water slowly: Avoid jumping or diving into unfamiliar water. This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: California diver vows to keep searching for missing woman Jomarie Calasanz
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Hero diver reveals deadly mission to recover hikers from 'brutal' and frigid California waterfall
A determined diver hiked for over three hours to recover the bodies of three men who died after jumping into a California waterfall to cool off. Juan Heredia, a volunteer diver, pulled the bodies of the trio from Rattlesnake Falls near Soda Springs on Sunday night. The men have been identified as Valentino Creus, 50, of Los Angeles, Matthew Schoenecker, 50, of Los Angeles, and Matthew Anthony, 44, of New York City. They were part of a group of six who hiked miles into the woods last Wednesday, in what officials described as an 'extremely remote and difficult to access' trail. After a grueling hike to the site alongside fellow diver Josh Robinson, Heredia said he dived four times into the icy waters for nearly three minutes each to find the men. In a post to his Facebook, Heredia said he did so as the families the of the men needed closure, and that it would likely take weeks for their bodies to resurface. He posted: 'I found them!! The family no longer has to wait in agony!! That waterfall was brutal. He was pushing me hard, but I wouldn't leave without those 3 souls. 'When we finally got signal and called the Sheriff, it was already 9pm. What surprised me was the sergeant's response: 'We're going to send a team to walk right now to take care of the bodies".' He added: 'At 9 o'clock at night. With a cold. Dark. That's having heart. Families shouldn't wait for days. 'If they knew there are people willing to help — divers, volunteers, even officers walking in the dark — they might have answers much sooner.' Heredia also shared a video of himself making his way to the waterfall in the pouring rain and hail. In it, he shows just how rough the terrain was for them to hike to and from the waterfall, while also adding that he has a bad ankle but still managed to make it. He says: 'It's hailing like crazy, but we are here. We are on our way to dive. I am going to dive no matter what, but it's not going to be fun.' His post added: 'Through shine or rain, through loss and pain, God led our path to bring them home again.' The remaining three men that formed the group of six were evacuated via helicopter last Wednesday, Placer County Sheriff's Office said. All three deceased men worked and volunteered for academic organization The International Circle of Genetic Studies. A statement from the organization said: 'We regret to inform you that three of our advisors passed away last Wednesday June 18th, 2025 in ac accident near San Francisco. 'Their names are Dr. Mathew Schoenecker, Dr. Mathew Anthony and Val Creus, M.S. REQUIESCAM IN PACEM!!!! We give pour sympathy to their families.' Search efforts were tampered by gusty winds and low visibility, drawing out the recovery process. According to the Sheriff's Office, searching operations were suspended Thursday 'due to poor underwater visibility caused by debris and strong currents.' A friend of Creus, Matt Meeks, posted a heartbreaking tribute about him on Facebook following his death. He's remembered Creus as 'a true friend' who would 'always give advice.' 'As I reflect on his death, I can't think of a more fitting way for Val to go,' Meeks said, referring to a time his late friend told him how there was never air conditioning in universities in the Philippines. When he walked into an air conditioned room years later, Creus 'laughed' and smiled at Meeks, he recalled. 'Just as Val walked into that cold, air-conditioned center as a young man on a hot day and said yes to the great spiritual river that would guide his life, he spent his final hours doing the same - walking alongside his friends on a hot day, jumping into cold water and letting the river over take him.' Meeks added: 'Val died as he lived - riding that river all the way to Heaven alongside his friends. I sure do miss him.' Schoenecker's sister Noel changed her profile picture on Facebook to an image of herself and her brother in tribute. She said: 'Such unimaginable grief, I cannot even breathe.' Placer County has advised against plunging into local ponds, lakes, and waterfalls for fear of incidents like this one. According to their website, melting snow in northern California can leave water temperatures 'dangerously cold' even as the seasons change. Placer County has warned individuals wishing to enjoy waterways to take extra precaution, regardless of the season. Jumping into frigid waters can cause cold shock which results in 'a rapid loss of breathing control, increased heart rate and a gasp reflex', or hypothermia, a 'dangerous drop in body temperature that can lead to unconsciousness and even death.' Both of these side effects make it more difficult to swim or breathe, leading to drowning in low-temperature waterways like Rattlesnake Falls.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Yahoo
"The waterfall was brutal": bodies of 3 hikers who vanished after jumping into California falls recovered after days of searching
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The bodies of three hikers who vanished after jumping into a remote California waterfall have been recovered after days of searching. Placer County Sheriff's Office reports that a group of six men were hiking in the Soda Springs area on Wednesday, June 18 when three jumped into the water at Rattlesnake Falls and never resurfaced. The surrounding terrain is described as challenging and difficult to access, and search efforts were temporarily suspended on Thursday due to poor visibility caused by debris and strong currents. High winds also made flying conditions difficult. The sheriff's office announced that the bodies had been found on Sunday. Diver Juan Heredia posted on Facebook after helping to recover the bodies, describing how difficult the scene made the operation. "The waterfall was brutal. It kept pushing me down but I wasn't leaving without bringing those 3 souls home to their families." "Josh Robinson our team backup diver, and I hiked over 3 hours just to reach that 47-foot deep pool. I dove four times — close to 3 minutes each — freezing cold water and deep." The remaining hikers were airlifted from the scene on Wednesday evening. In Washington's Olympic National Park, search and rescue crews have been unable to recover the body of an 18-year-old hiker who was attempting to cross the river above popular Sol Duc Falls when he fell and was swept away on June 8. Before entering the water on a hike, it's important to scope out a safe entry spot and enter the water slowly to avoid being injured by hidden obstacles or swept away by strong currents. It's generally advised to stay out of waterfall areas and on the trail. You can learn more in our articles on open water safety and waterfall hiking safety. The best hiking boots: hit the trail The best trekking poles: take the pressure off when you're out on the trails
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Yahoo
Stockton diver finds bodies of 3 missing men in Placer County's perilous Rattlesnake Falls
Stockton diver Juan Heredia located the bodies of three men trapped beneath a perilous waterfall in Placer County. The bodies have been recovered, four days after they were last seen jumping into waters near Soda Springs, authorities said. The search began on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 18, when a group of hikers reported three men from their original group of six had jumped into the water at Rattlesnake Falls and not resurfaced, according to the Placer County Sheriff's Office. A massive search and rescue effort was launched, which included a California Highway Patrol helicopter, a sheriff's dive team, sheriff's search and rescue officials and a Cal Fire technical rescue team. "The terrain is extremely remote and difficult to access, making rescue efforts especially challenging," the sheriff's department said in a written statement. The three hikers who reported the incident were evacuated from the area by helicopter on Thursday evening as the search continued. Search efforts were suspended on Thursday afternoon due to poor underwater visibility, strong currents and high winds, officials said. The search resumed Friday and continued through the weekend "in a limited but ongoing capacity," according to the sheriff's department statement. Volunteer diver Heredia of Stockton, founder of Angels Recovery Dive Team, began searching for the bodies. Heredia posted on Facebook about his team's efforts to locate the three. "I found them!! The family no longer has to wait in agony!! That waterfall was brutal He was pushing me hard... but I wouldn't leave without those 3 souls," he wrote. "Josh Robinson and I hiked over 3 hours just to get to that pose 47 feet deep. I did four dives — almost 3 minutes each — with ice water, and very deep. But we couldn't wait. I knew it could take weeks to surface. Families needed to close this chapter already," he wrote. He also called out the sheriff's office in his post. "Families shouldn't wait for days. If they knew there are people willing to help — divers, volunteers, even officers walking in the dark — they might have answers much sooner." The agency announced on Sunday morning that the men had been found. "It is with heavy hearts that we share the bodies of the three men have been recovered," the statement said. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to their families, friends, and all those affected by this tragic loss." The identities of the victims were not released. In April 2024, the Stockton City Council recognized Heredia as the "city council hero" after the scuba diving instructor volunteered to search the Calaveras River for 15-year-old Xavier Martinez when he went missing in March. San Joaquin County Sheriff's Department officials spent days searching the waters but couldn't locate the teen. Heredia found Martinez's body within 30 minutes of his dive. Heredia received a standing ovation from the nearly 900 people in attendance. In January 2025, a billboard went up next to the yellow Mexican restaurant El Señor Frog's in Stockton that read, "Thank you, Juan Heredia ... Hometown Hero." At first, Heredia was in disbelief. When someone sent him a photo of the billboard, he thought it was a joke and assumed it was Photoshopped. But to his surprise, it was real when he and his wife Mercedes Heredia checked it out in person, he said. 'I am not a hero': Stockton diver celebrated with billboard after tireless search for lost "Wow, it was something incredible," Heredia told The Stockton Record of the billboard. Aside from being a volunteer diver and the founder of the nonprofit Angels Recovery Dive Team, Heredia is also a Realtor, mortgage loan originator and general contractor. He and his wife Mercedes have a blended family of five. "This country gave me so many good things that my way of giving back is by putting my skills in diving for the community," he told The Record earlier this year as he explained what drives him to help bring families closure. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Stockton diver Juan Heredia finds bodies of 3 men missing in California
USA Today
23-06-2025
- USA Today
3 men found dead after jumping into water near California waterfall
Three people were found dead over the weekend following a multi-day search and rescue mission at Rattlesnake Falls in California. On Wednesday, June 18, the Placer County Sheriff's Office received a report about the individuals entering the water in the Soda Springs area, according to a news release. Officials learned that the missing men were part of a hiking group when they decided to jump into Rattlesnake Falls and failed to resurface, prompting ground and aerial search efforts. The other men who were with them were evacuated via helicopter on June 19 because the area is "remote" and a "difficult trail." California Highway Patrol assisted with this rescue. Lake Tahoe: 6 people dead, 2 missing after boat capsizes 'Heartfelt condolences' Deputies said search operations continued throughout the week, but were disrupted due to weather conditions and strong currents. The Placer County Sheriff's Office announced on June 22 that "the bodies of the three men have been recovered." Their identities have not been released. USA TODAY reached out to the agency for more information. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to their families, friends, and all those affected by this tragic loss," the statement continued. A volunteer diver involved in the mission said in a Facebook post that he and another person had to hike for more than three hours to get to the area before diving into the "ice water" several times. "We couldn't wait. I knew it could take weeks to surface. Families needed to close this chapter already," Juan Heredia wrote, adding that they called the sheriff's office around 9 p.m. "What surprised me was the sergeant's response: 'We're going to send a team to walk right now to take care of the bodies,'" the post continued. Soda Springs is approximately 26 miles from Lake Tahoe. Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@
