MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla— A Texas family is mourning the loss of a husband and father after he drowned attempting to save a young boy in the Gulf of Mexico yesterday.

At 2:55 p.m. on Tuesday, March 16th, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a water rescue on the beach behind a home on Beach Drive in Miramar Beach.

Before deputies arrived, beachgoers pulled a 54-year-old man from the water after he attempted to save a young boy who was in distress. The boy was able to make it back to shore, but the man was found slumped over in the water.

The victim, positively identified as Timothy M. Browne, was eventually pulled from the water and CPR was initiated by a registered nurse who was on scene. First responders arrived within minutes and continued life-saving measures. He was transported to Sacred Heart where he was pronounced deceased.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office extends our deepest sympathy to Mr. Browne’s family and friends.