Funeral services are Friday for the 26-year-old Jasper, Tn., man who drowned Tuesday during a rescue attempt.
Family members said Christopher Heaton drowned "while valiantly attempting to rescue a small child that he believed was trapped in a submerged vehicle."
The incident happened in the Tennessee River in Bridgeport, Ala. He had gone to meet a woman there and saw that her vehicle had rolled into the river. The woman was able to get out of the vehicle and got to shore with the help of some fishermen. There was a car seat in the vehicle, but no child.
Mr. Heaton attended Richard Hardy Memorial School, and Chattanooga State, where he earned a degree in industrial maintenance.
He was currently enrolled in the pipefitters apprentice program and was employed by Advanced Auto in Jasper.
He is survived by two sons, Christopher M. Heaton, Jr., 4, and Hunter W. Heaton, 3.
Visitation at Tate Funeral Home, Jasper, will be from 4- 9 p.m. CST on Thursday.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. CST on Friday in the funeral home chapel.
Interment will be in Sequatchie Valley Memorial Gardens.