'Real-life hero': Dad drowns after rescuing 3 kids from North Carolina river

SURRY COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) -- A family fishing trip turned deadly after a North Carolina man drowned while saving his children who were struggling in a river.

Benny Bowers Jr., 44, jumped into the Yadkin River in Surry County when three of his sons fell into the water on Sunday, April 28, according to relatives and the county's sheriff's office.

His sister, Angela Stewart, said Bowers managed to rescue all of the kids but did not resurface after pushing the third boy to safety.

"My brother just gave him one last push and told him to go," Stewart said tearfully. "He locked eyes with my sister-in-law, and when he saw that she had the baby, he just closed his eyes and went underwater. And he never came back up."

Several emergency crews worked together to search for Bowers, using boats, drones and sonar. Around 11:15 a.m. on Monday, April 29, authorities located his body near the juncture of the Ararat River and Yadkin River.

Bowers' 10-year-old son, Benny Bowers III, remembered his dad as a "brave man."

“He was the greatest dad I could ever have, and he’s a hero, a real-life hero," said the young boy, who was rescued by his father.

Family members said the 44-year-old loved God, dancing and fishing with his sons.

"He had an infectious, energetic love," said Melanie Williams, another sister of Bowers. "And he would do anything for anything for anyone."

Bowers was laid to rest on May 6. Stewart said his legacy lies in his sons.

"He gave us four gifts, and those four gifts are his boys. They're just like him," she said.