FL Teacher Died Trying To Save Drowning Teen At Lake Michigan

PORTER, INDIANA — A St. Petersburg man died trying to save a drowning teenage girl in Lake Michigan.

The body of Thomas Kenning, 38, was recovered Monday by Indiana Dunes State Park lifeguards at Porter Beach, according to WEAR.

The Pinellas County teacher went to the Indiana beach with family he was visiting in the area and raced into the water when he noticed the teen in distress.

He pulled her to safety with the help of lifeguards before going under himself, the Northwest Indiana Times reported. He never resurfaced.

"She made it out with the assistance of lifeguards from (Indiana) Dunes State Park, but he got sucked under," Porter Fire Chief Jay Craig said. "Once they got her out, they went back looking for the man."

Authorities estimate that he was in the water for about 15 minutes before lifeguards found him about 20 to 30 feet from shore. They performed CPR on him and brought him to Northwest Health Hospital, where he later died. An autopsy is planned.

There were strong winds and currents, as well as 3- to 5-foot waves the day Kenning died, an officer with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources told the Tampa Bay Times.

His mother, Sharon, told WTSP, “My last image of him is standing in the water holding his hand out to her.”

“His last breath was literally for someone else," his wife, Jasmine, added.

Kenning taught middle-school social studies at Plato Academy in Pinellas Park.

He was also a writer and photographer who published several books on Florida’s history and natural resources, including “The Unlikely Parks of Tampa Bay: A Scenic History,” “Florida’s Mangroves: A Slightly Salty History,” “Nature’s Own Attraction: A History of Florida’s Roadside Springs” and “Abandoned Florida: Sunshine Sentinels.”

A fundraiser was created to assist Kenning’s family following his death and to honor his legacy.

“This fundraiser was created to honor the life and legacy of an amazing father, husband, son, brother, educator, author, and friend, Tom Kenning,” according to the fundraiser description. “While we mourn the tragic loss of such an incredible person, we want to offer support for his family during this difficult time, especially his wife, Jasmine, and daughter, Rory. Tom truly believed in the best of people and sought to ‘leave the planet a little bit nicer than he found it.’”

As of Thursday morning, nearly $40,000 of the $50,000 goal had been raised.

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