Maine town manager dies saving son, 4, after both fall through frozen pond

Kevin Howell, the 51-year-old town manager of Carmel, Maine, has lost his life while heroically rescuing his 4-year-old son from a perilous situation.

The tragedy unfolded around 6:30 a.m. on Friday when Howell and his son fell through the ice of Etna Pond, located approximately 1/3 of a mile from their residence, as reported by the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office via a Facebook post.

Despite the freezing conditions, Howell managed to extricate his son from the icy waters and instructed him to urgently inform his mother of the dire situation. Acting swiftly, the child raced home and relayed the distressing incident, prompting his mother to immediately contact emergency services. Armed with an anchor and rope, she rushed to the pond to assist her husband, but tragically also fell through the fragile ice.

Responding to the 911 call, a detective in the vicinity courageously navigated the hazardous ice, clinging to the rope that had been secured on the shore, successfully rescuing Howell’s wife. Regrettably, there was no sign of Kevin Howell. Despite the arrival of the Maine Warden Service and the Carmel Fire Department, search efforts proved futile.

In a somber turn of events, two divers from the Maine Warden Service entered the pond around 1:40 p.m. on Friday, ultimately discovering Howell’s lifeless body shortly before 2 p.m., as disclosed by the sheriff’s office. Carmel, situated approximately 93 miles northeast of Lewiston, is now mourning the loss of a dedicated public servant. Howell, who held the position of town manager, played a crucial role in overseeing and managing various town departments, as outlined by Carmel’s official website.

As news of this tragic incident spreads, the tight-knit community is left grappling with grief and loss. Efforts to reach town representatives for comment on this devastating event were unsuccessful at the time of reporting on Saturday evening. The profound impact of Howell’s sacrifice will undoubtedly be felt by the community he served with dedication and commitment.