‘I’m sad, but I’m proud’: Friends mourn man who drowned while saving child

Stephanie Langston
·2 min read
2

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – “He would do anything for anyone.”

That’s what friends said of a man who drowned after saving a child on Percy Priest Lake over the weekend.

Investigators said the body of 34-year-old Harold “Layne” Tomlinson’s was recovered Sunday, April 28. His friends said he died a hero.

PREVIOUS: Nashville crews recover body of man who drowned in Percy Priest Lake

“He was a brother,” Mike Dale explained.

It was a sentiment that most of Tomlinson’s friends shared.

“He was always there for me,” Dale continued.

For Dale, it was a friendship that began in elementary school; the two grew up together in Columbia and even worked side by side at a movie theater. Later, Tomlinson served as Dale’s best man at his wedding.

WATCH: Friends remember man who drowned in Percy Priest after saving child

“It’s heartbreaking, just we had so many plans,” Dale said as he teared up.

Those plans were washed away Saturday, April 27, when boating on the lake with friends took a heartbreaking turn for Tomlinson’s loved ones. A child that was with his group went underwater, and officials said Tomlinson jumped in to help, actions that are a reflection of the type of friend Tomlinson was.

“That’s him. He would do anything for anyone,” Dale said.

Wanted man jumps into Cumberland River after spotted by Metro police

Windy conditions, however, made the water rough and the boat drifted away before Tomlinson made it back on, according to officials with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). His body was recovered Sunday morning.

“When I heard when that girl fell in and he instantly jumped, that’s how I know him. For that, I’m proud. I’m sad, but I’m proud,” said Dale.

Tomlinson’s heroic efforts left friends reflecting on their last moments together.

Racer dies during St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series in Nashville

“He gave me a hug. That’s the last thing I remember from him; he gave me a hug and he said, ‘I love you, man. You will always be my brother and we’ll hang out soon,’ and that’s where every time I think about it, it gets hard. He’s just a wonderful guy,” Dale said while fighting back tears.

Officials with the TWRA said Tomlinson jumped into the water without a personal floatation device. His death marks the third boating-related fatality on Tennessee waterways this year.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.