A 21-year-old man lost his life shortly after his baptism while trying to save a teenage girl in Lake Waxahachie, North Texas.
On August 24, 2023, 21-year-old Lincer Lopez joined his church group at Boat Dock Park on Lake Waxahachie for his baptism. His uncle, Jacobo Lopez, said Lincer was so excited about this spiritual milestone that he couldn’t sleep the night before.
The baptism ceremony went as planned. Lincer and several others from the church were baptized in the lake, publicly declaring their faith in Jesus Christ.
Little did anyone know that within minutes, Lopez would be called to demonstrate the ultimate act of love – laying down his life for another.
After the baptisms, the group stayed to enjoy the water. It was then that tragedy struck. A teenage girl from the church group began struggling to stay afloat.
Without hesitation, Lincer rushed to help her. His uncle later told WFAA, “He was a hero. He didn’t think twice about rescuing someone else. He didn’t think about the risk that he could die.”
Jacob Bell, a nearby boater, noticed the commotion and came to help. He reached the struggling teenager and brought her onto his boat. Bell immediately performed CPR, successfully reviving her.
When Bell reached the shore with the girl, he learned Lincer hadn’t made it back. Bell ran across the dock area, dove into the lake, and swam around searching for Lincer.
After diving down, Bell finally found the young man and pulled him up. Tragically, by the time Lincer was brought to shore, he had already passed away.
The loss has deeply affected both those who knew Lincer and those who didn’t. Jacob Bell, still grappling with the events, shared his own connection to the tragedy. His brother had drowned when Bell was just three years old. “I haven’t really begun to, it hasn’t sunk in yet,” he said. “It’s hard.”
Bell praised Lincer’s actions: “He was a hero, he had just been baptized and gave his life to the Lord, and our family, we pray for his family, and we pray for the little girl’s family. And he was a strong boy, they should be very proud of him.”
Lincer was a caring and selfless person even before his final act. His uncle revealed that Lincer worked hard in construction to send money back to his siblings in Mexico.
In the wake of this tragedy, there have been calls for increased safety measures at Lake Waxahachie. Jacob Bell expressed concern about the lack of safety resources:
“There are that many kids out there, and nobody is out there watching them. There should be a park official, somebody out there that has adequate training to be able to pull kids from the lake and resuscitate them, and there just wasn’t any of that.”
To support Lincer’s family, a GoFundMe campaign titled “Help Bring Lincer Mejia Lopez Home” has been set up to raise funds to send Lincer’s body back to Mexico, where his parents are.
Let us pray for Lincer’s family during this difficult time. May God comfort them in their grief and provide strength as they cope with this sudden loss.
WATCH: Young Man Drowns While Saving a Teen Shortly After Getting Baptized
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