KENOSHA COUNTY, Wis. — A man who drowned while rescuing his brother in the Pike River was remembered as generous and loyal.
Kenosha County first responders and witnesses said Adrian Sanchez-Trujillo's brother was swimming in the river south of Carthage College when he started to struggle.
Sanchez-Trujillo, 39, rushed in and got his sibling to safety, but then he went under.
"I was not surprised on the fact that he got into the water to help with a brother because that was the type of guy he was," said Juan Izaguirre, Sanchez-Trujillo's boss and friend.
"I couldn't believe it because he was going to celebrate his birthday. He was so happy," said Citlalli Sanchez, Sanchez-Trujillo's sister.
TMJ4 News talked with Citlalli over Zoom through a translator. She was emotional as she recalled people getting together that day for her's brother's birthday. Citlalli said she would bring the cake.
"Adrian was a generous person. He always took care of his family," Citlalli said.
First responders tried to find Sanchez-Trujillo using underwater drones to locate, but he was under the water for more than an hour by the time they got to him.
Tragically, his death is a reminder that any body of water can be dangerous. Preliminary data from the medical examiner shows seven people drowned in Kenosha County in 2022.
The Safety Around Water Coalition found that since 1985 eight people died in the Pike River in Kenosha County.
While Izaguirre is Sanchez-Trujillo's boss he said the two grew close during over long hours working in construction. Izaguirre said Sanchez-Trujillo never missed a day of work and was always on time.
"He would advise me how to be a good dad, how to be a good man for my wife stuff like that," Izaguirre said.
Sanchez-Trujillo came to the United States a few years ago for work. Most of his earnings went to support his wife and three kids in Mexico.
"He dreamt of being reunited with his family this year," Citlalli said.
Now Sanchez-Trujillo's family is overcome with grief and struggling to bring his body home.
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