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Vacationing PA Dad, Engineer Dies Saving Someone Else's Child

Duk Shin died a hero.

Duk Shin died saving a child in distress while on vacation with his family.

Duk Shin died saving a child in distress while on vacation with his family.

Photo Credit: Bermuda Police Service/GoFundMe photo (inset)

The 49-year-old Berwyn dad died on Wednesday, March 27, saving a child in distress in the water while on vacation with his family, according to a GoFundMe campaign and obituary.

Duk is survived by his wife, Ashley Gong, and their children, Mason, 9, and Colton, 7.

"On March 27, 2024, while on vacation with his family, Duk demonstrated extraordinary courage and selflessness when he saw a child in distress in the water," reads a GoFundMe launched for the family by Colleen Rilling.

"As you would expect of Duk, he did not hesitate for a moment to go in to attempt to save this child that was drowning. Tragically, Duk lost his life while trying to save someone else's child."

It's believed the incident happened in the water at Horseshoe Bay in Bermuda, late in the afternoon. Police said only that a man and woman went into the water to rescue a child in distress when the man "got into difficulty" and needed help.

"Life-saving efforts commenced immediately once the male who was unresponsive was out of the water. He was transported by ambulance to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH), where sadly, he was pronounced dead a short time later," Bermuda police said. 

"The young child was alert. She was taken in another ambulance to KEMH for medical assessment."

A Carnegie Mellon University (Class of 1996) and later earned his master's in civil and environmental engineering at Lehigh University, according to his obituary. 

Duk had been working as a senior quality engineer with Herbert, Rowland, and Grubic, Inc. in King of Prussia, PA.

Services will be held at the Alleva Funeral Home in Paoli on Saturday, April 20. Click here for Duk Shin's complete obituary and here to donate to the family.

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