Nationwide — Kevin Foster, an African American father from Cambridge, Massachusetts, died after entering the ocean to help his two teenage sons and other swimmers caught in a riptide off Martha’s Vineyard. His sons, Kenneth and Kaden, survived the incident. The family was spending the day at Long Point on Martha’s Vineyard’s south shore when several swimmers began struggling to return to the beach. Kevin entered the water as the strong current pulled people away from shore.
West Tisbury police, fire rescue crews, and medical personnel responded around 3:47 p.m. Three lifeguards from another beach about five miles away also arrived to help because the private beach had no lifeguards, according to People. Rescuers managed to bring four swimmers back to shore. They also pulled Foster from the water and took him to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, where he later died.
His family thanked the first responders and beachgoers who rushed to help during the emergency. They also expressed gratitude to those who supported the family after the tragedy. He was buried on Aug. 11, and his wife, Nadia, remembered him as a beloved husband, father, son, and friend. She said he died in the waters of Martha’s Vineyard, a place he loved and enjoyed with people close to him.
Foster was also active in the Cambridge community. He worked as a marketing executive and served on the Cambridge Community Preservation Act committee, which focuses on efforts including affordable housing and community improvements.
Cambridge state Rep. Marjorie Decker, a longtime friend of Nadia, also remembered Foster as a member of her family. She described him as a devoted husband and father who built a loving life with Nadia and raised their two sons.
A GoFundMe campaign has been created to establish an education fund for Kenneth and Kaden. It has so far raised nearly $300,000.