Heroic Lifeguard Risks Life to Save Man from Drowning at Yo…

Drowning California Today in California: Josue Baires Alfaro, a 22-year-old, died on June 20, 2026, in Yosemite National Park after being overcome by strong currents in the Merced River above the nearly 600-foot-high Nevada Falls waterfall. Freesia Gaul, a 20-year-old former lifeguard, attempted to rescue Alfaro after making eye contact with him from the bank and nearly succumbed to the rapids herself before being pulled to safety by a fellow park-goer using a walking stick. The fatal incident was first reported publicly on Reddit by a Yosemite visitor who witnessed the event. Drowning is the second leading cause of accidents in Yosemite, according to the National Park Service.