A doting family man and father-of-three died prematurely after trying to save a group of children from drowning.
43-year-old Luke Laidley was a 9/11 survivor who was celebrating the 4th of July on Lake Michigan near Centennial Park Beach when the rafting tube he was pulling with his boat overturned, sending a number of children into the water.
Determined to help the struggling kids, the father-of-three immediately jumped into the water with little regard for his own wellbeing.
While the children were quickly pulled onto the boat by other passengers, Laidley reportedly spent a whole minute underwater before the others managed to get him to safety.
After the ordeal, CPR was performed and Laidley was rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, the hero man died just hours later.
In a tribute to the late father, his family revealed that Laidley was a 9/11 survivor who worked at Morgan Stanley on the 61st floor of WTC Tower 2 when the attacks happened.
They also revealed that after surviving the 9/11 attacks, Luke launched a successful career in financing and went on to marry Lauren with whom they welcomed three children including Lucan, 7, Vivian, 5, and Logan, 3.
“His true passion in life was being a devoted husband and a loving father. Luke and his family moved to Winnetka, and joined the Catholic parish Faith Hope and Charity, where they are active parishioners and where their 3 children attend school,” the tribute read.
“A true family man to his core, not only with his own wife and kids, but an incredible brother to his 5 siblings, inlaws, and uncle to 17 nieces and nephews. His smile lit up the room. He exuded positivity and perseverance with everything he did. He loved deeply and truly with all his heart.
“Luke lived his life guided by his experiences and he had several that allowed him to bestow compassion, love, inspiration, and leadership to others. He lived a hero’s song.”
Our thoughts remain with Luke’s family, especially his wife and children, during this challenging time.