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Father who rescued 3-year-old from icy pond after car went underwater remembered as a hero

Posted at 8:40 PM, Mar 27, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-27 20:43:46-04

INDIANAPOLIS -- The father who helped rescue his 3-year-old daughter from a pond after their car plunged into the icy water is being remembered as a hero. 

Anthony Burgess Jr. died after helping to rescue his daughter, Amina. Police believe Amina accidentally hit the gear in the vehicle and caused it to roll back into a pond. 

Burgess Jr., who family members say couldn't swim, dove into the water and helped pull his daughter from the vehicle so that another man who went in after her could take her out. He then got stuck underwater and was rescued by divers but later died at the hospital. 

READ | Father dies after rescuing daughter frompond

Amina's aunt, Kelly Jordan, says Burgess Jr. gave the ultimate sacrifice to save his daughter and that is how he will be remembered. 

"Even though he couldn't swim he swam out there into the middle of that water he jumped into that water - even though he couldn't swim he stayed afloat and coached his daughter out of that car - even though he couldn't swim he held his daughter out of that water until she was rescued - even though he couldn't swim he was able to save his daughter," said Jordan. 

Family members are planning a memorial service to remember Burgess on Friday. 

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