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Witnesses say two Grand Rapids men who drowned in Itasca County rescued a boy struggling in Pokegama Lake before the men went under.

Nathan Junker, 30, and Albert Hermiston, 63, were supervising a youth group outing at the lake for Faith Baptist Church in Grand Rapids when one of the boys was carried out too far in the water and wasn’t wearing a life jacket, said Hermiston’s daughter-in-law, Shawna Hermiston.

Hermiston said her father-in-law, who had volunteered with the youth group for several years, gave his life jacket to Junker, the youth pastor of the church, who swam it out to the boy. But Hermiston said Junker began struggling, so her father-in-law went out to help him. The boy was eventually able to swim to safety.

Hermiston was found Sunday; Junker’s body was found Monday.

The Sheriff’s Office got a call Sunday evening about two men struggling in the water. Witnesses said some young people were on a house boat when the wind picked up and waves grew to about 3-foot swells.

They say one young person was struggling in the water when the two men went out to help him. The youth made it to safety, but the men did not.