Current:Home > ContactWill Sage Astor-'A stand-out guy': Maine town manager dies after saving his son from icy pond -Visionary Wealth Guides
Will Sage Astor-'A stand-out guy': Maine town manager dies after saving his son from icy pond
Burley Garcia View
Date:2025-04-09 06:05:11
The Will Sage Astorbeloved manager of a Maine town died after saving his 4-year-old son when they both fell through an icy pond on Friday.
Kevin Howell, 51, was on a walk with his son, Sawyer, around 6:30 a.m. when they broke through the ice on Etna Pond, less than half a mile from their Carmel, Maine home, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
Howell was the town manager of Carmel, located about 50 miles northeast of the state's capital, Augusta.
The sheriff's office said Howell managed to get his son out of the water and onto more solid ice, telling him to go get his mother.
"The boy ran home, and notified his mother. The mom told the young boy to stay at home, she called 911, and she rushed to help her husband. On her way, she grabbed an anchor and rope and ran down to the water," the sheriff's office said.
Once the woman, Katie, reached the shore, she secured the rope and went to help her husband but ended up falling through the ice as well, the sheriff's office said Friday.
Jordan Norton, a sheriff detective, responded to the area after the 911 call. When he saw Howell's wife in the water, he began "crawling across the treacherous ice," while holding on to rope. While he was able to help get the woman to safety, he did not see Kevin Howell above the surface of the waters.
Divers from the state police and the warden service searched the pond at around 1:40 p.m. and found Howell's body about 20 minutes later, the sheriff's office said.
Pizza delivery driver turned lifesaver:Driver's call leads to rescue of boy in icy pond
Howell and his wife moved to Carmel in 2014. Their son was born in 2019, according to the town's website.
Maine man remembered as a 'stand-out guy'
The small town is grieving Howell, a community member friends and colleagues described as a "wonderful guy."
Daniel Frye, chairman of the town's Board of Selectmen told the Portland Press Herald on Saturday that Howell "really believed in community. That’s why he was such a perfect person for that town manager role. He always wanted to make the town better. He was a stand-out guy."
Frye told the local outlet that Howell was always trying to make the small town better, including creating a town landing, building a new playground, and revitalizing Carmel Days, a community celebration held every year in the fall.
“When he took it over, it was on the outs. He came in and brought the community together. Every year, it got bigger and better, in large part to Kevin’s work,” Frye said. “He was always working on the next project. His death is a big loss for the town.”
veryGood! (343)
Related
- Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
- Police arrest man in theft of Jackie Robinson statue, no evidence of a hate crime
- Tom Sandoval Screams at Lisa Vanderpump During Tense Vanderpump Rules Confrontation
- Judge allows freedom for elderly man serving life sentence
- Gen. Mark Milley's security detail and security clearance revoked, Pentagon says
- How previous back-to-back Super Bowl winners fared going for a three-peat
- Katy Perry reveals she is leaving American Idol after upcoming season
- Lawmakers honor House clerk who served during chaos of Jan. 6 and McCarthy speaker votes
- See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
- Russell Simmons accused of raping, harassing former Def Jam executive in new lawsuit
Ranking
- What to watch: O Jolie night
- 'Always kiss goodbye.' 'Invest in a good couch.' Americans share best and worst relationship advice.
- Group challenges restrictions in Arizona election manual on ballot drop-off locations
- Record Super Bowl ratings suggest fans who talk about quitting NFL are mostly liars
- Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
- Mental health emerges as a dividing line in abortion rights initiatives planned for state ballots
- New Mexico legislators approve bill to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Why This Love Is Blind Season 6 Contestant Walked Off the Show Over Shocking Comments
Recommendation
Behind on your annual reading goal? Books under 200 pages to read before 2024 ends
WhatsApp glitch: Users report doodle not turning off
Oklahoma softball transfer Jordy Bahl suffers season-ending injury in debut with Nebraska
Brand new 2024 Topps Series 1 baseball cards are a 'rebellion against monochrome'
Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
A small fish is at the center of a big fight in the Chesapeake Bay
How to have 'Perfect Days' in a flawed world — this film embraces beauty all around
Six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan addresses mental health in new series 'Dinners with DeMar'