Friends and family says dad who drowned saving his boy is a hero

The Becker County Sheriff identified Christopher Schultz as the man who tragically died rescuing his son.

The 31-year-old is from Frazee but has deep connections in the Detroit Lakes area.

“Without a hesitation jumping in - that's heroic, to me that's an honorable death,” Matthew Clark said.

Clark said he met Schultz 10 years ago and describes him as a person who made a positive impact.

“Guy just sacrificed his life to make sure his kid could see another day. He wasn't thinking about anything else other than that,” Clark said.

Messages poured over social media describing Schultz as a dedicated father of four.

According to the Becker County Sheriff’s Office, Schultz drowned at the Long Bridge at Dead Shot Bay on Saturday night.

The bridge is considered a popular fishing spot by locals.

Schultz’s son fell off the bridge and he immediately went in to rescue him. Deputies said a bystander helped and was able to bring the child to shore.

“That's not how a 3-year-old is expecting that day to end,” Clark said. “I really feel for the kids because when they're calling for daddy they're not going to understand why he's not going to be able to come home.”

Kayla Zajac said she and her husband would go fishing with Schultz. Both are shocked by his death.

“My kids always come first before my safety and I would've done the same thing,” Zajac said.

It took emergency responders 45 minutes find Schultz in the water.

His friends said he’ll be remembered as a selfless guy.

For those who want to help, there’s a GoFundMe page set up in Schultz’s name. Here’s a link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/chriss-funeral-and-medical-cost