Couple Married 40 Years Both Drown While Trying To Rescue Puppy

Westfield, MA – Daniel and Patricia Cyr tragically drowned in Hampton Ponds State Park, Massachusetts last night while trying to save their puppy who had jumped out of their homemade pontoon boat and into the water.

The devoted couple were about to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.

MassLive.com provides further details on the drowning incident involving the Cyrs:

[Police] said Daniel Cyr, 64, jumped into Hampton Ponds at about 6 p.m. Monday to save their small West Highland terrier puppy, Sadie. As her husband began to struggle, Patricia Cyr, 61, jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue him.

To make the situation ever more tragic, Patricia Cyr evidently couldn’t swim. According to the Boston Globe, Daniel Cyr suffered serious head injuries ten years ago in a car accident, and, as a result the family suspects that he “may have suffered an aneurysm” last night when trying to rescue the dog.

“For her to jump in the lake, he had to be in distress,” a family friend said.

Sadie, the West Highland terrier, survived the incident and will be placed with a relative.

“They couldn’t survive without each other,” the Cyrs’ daughter told the Globe of her parents close relationship.

Two jet skiers on the lake evidently pulling the couple from the water. Police were called, but the Cyrs later died at local Massachusetts hospitals.

State and local police are conducting an investigation into the double drowning of Daniel and Patricia Cyr. The Hartford Courant reports that neither were wearing life jackets.

The Springfield, Massachusetts, CBS affiliate aired this report about the drowning:

[Image credit: Christopher Walker]