STONE COUNTY, Mo. — A Jefferson County father drowned after trying to help one of his sons in Table Rock Lake, according to a report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and investigators.
Bradley Bruce was with his family near Indian Point in the northeastern part of the lake at about 6 p.m. Wednesday. Investigators told NBC affiliate KY3 Bruce's 13-year-old son was tubing on the lake when the father and another son thought the teen was having a seizure. Bruce and his other son jumped into the lake to help the teen. The two brothers made it back to their boat. Their father went underwater and did not resurface.
Officials told KY3 Bruce wasn’t a strong swimmer and the highway patrol said the water is very deep in that part of Table Rock Lake.
Rescue teams continued searching for Bruce. His body was found Friday afternoon, and the coroner pronounced him dead.
Bruce was 44 years old and from Byrnes Mill, Missouri, in Jefferson County.
The highway patrol has not released any other details about the drowning.
Table Rock Lake is located in Stone County in southwest Missouri. The highway patrol troop that covers the area said this is their 16th drowning in 2021.
