LAKE PUEBLO — "Be careful with life."
A message from Rebecca Mayo, a mother mourning the loss of her son after three kayaks capsized at Lake Pueblo State Park on Sunday.
Larry Foster, 26, was one of the two victims who died in the lake, as 35-45 mph winds ripped through the area. A toddle was also airlifted to a hospital after a Colorado Park and Wildlife (CPW) Ranger administered CPR.
"If you go out in the waters, please, please be aware of your surroundings. Please wear a vest, and please be cautious of what's going on," said Mayo.
Foster leaves behind a toddler and a fiance, who is due with a baby girl in a few months. His family says he was an artist and strong in his jewish faith.
"Everything he did, he always did it with some sort of creativity. The kid was really good at whatever he did, whatever he put his head to," said D'Angelo Mayo, Foster's brother.
CPW says responders were on the scene within three minutes of receiving the call for help on Sunday.
Lake Pueblo has been the deadliest body of water in Colorado, during the deadliest year in the water on record. In 2022, Lake Pueblo has had eight water-related deaths. The state of Colorado has had 38 water-related fatalities in 2022, majority of them recreational.
Lake Pueblo is the most visited state park in Colorado and rangers are in charge of monitoring 60 miles of shoreline, on top of campgrounds, trails, and more.
News5 asked the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) how many more Rangers CPW is in need of, if any, and whether CPW is hoping to expand the number of positions in the near future. DNR is working to get those answers.
The Governor's proposed budget for next year is expected to be made public in November and good reveal any potential increases in funding for CPW.
_____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
