Dad dies by electrocution saving sons from water fountain

Publish date: 2024-08-29

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A married father-of-four war veteran has died saving his two young sons from a Florida shopping center fountain that had somehow become electrified.

Nate Davenport, 45, a retired US Navy fighter pilot and successful businessman, was spending time with his three youngest children at the Harbourside Place shopping and dining complex in Jupiter Sunday afternoon, when at least two of the kids jumped into a splash pad to play, according to family members.

“The kids started screaming, ‘We’re getting shocked, we’re getting shocked,'” Davenport’s mother, Mary Davenport, told the station WPBF in an exclusive interivew. “And so he rushed in to save them.”

Davenport reached into the water and pulled his sons, ages 8 and 11, to safety, but was electrocuted in the process.

The incident left three children and two adults injured, inducing Davenport and his two boys.

Nick Davenport, 45, is pictured with wife Amy and their four young children. Nate Davenport / Facebook
Davenport died Sunday saving his two sons from a fountain at Harbourside Place in Jupiter, Florida, that had become electrified. WPBF

The heroic dad died without ever regaining consciousness at Jupiter Medical Center.

“He took a hit for his kids. We had 45 years with him. God blessed us with him. He’s an amazing man,” said Mary Davenport of her son.

The children were taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center, where they remained for several days.

It was not immediately clear what led to the deadly electrocution.

The retired Navy fighter pilot reached into the water to save his kids after they began screaming that they were being shocked. Nate Davenport / Facebook
A spokesperson for the shopping and dining complex said the electrocution took place in a fountain where patrons were not allowed to swim. WPBF

A spokesperson for Harbourside Place said the incident happened not in the splash pad area but in the fountain where there are signs warning “no climbing” and “no swimming,” the station WPTV reported.

Jupiter police said they were investigating the electrocution with assistance from the town’s Building Department, Harbourside Place and Florida Power & Light.

Harbourside Place CEO Nick Mastroianni released a statement calling what happened Sunday “a tragedy.”

“Our focus is on the people involved and their families,” Mastroianni stated. “We ask the community to join us in praying for them.”

Davenport served as a fighter pilot in the Navy and was a veteran of the Iraq War.

Davenport retired from the Navy in 2008 and was the president of an engineering company. Nate Davenport / Facebook

After retiring from the service in 2008, Davenport joined his father’s business, RGD Consulting Engineers, and eventually took over as company president in 2019, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The 45-year-old married dad enjoyed boating, sitting down to Sunday breakfast with his parents and being a dad to his four children – two boys and two girls.

Brother-in-law Mike Bishop said he was not surprised that Davenport put himself in harm’s way to save his children.

“We obviously know that he did exactly what we would expect him to do,” Bishop told the outlet. “That’s what he was.”

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