Bienville Parish native dies, hailed a hero while saving passengers of sinking boat in Chicago

By Paige Nash

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    ARCADIA, Louisiana (KTBS) — A Bienville Parish native has been hailed a hero following his death while rescuing passengers on a sinking yacht in Lake Michigan last week.

The body of Bienville Parish native Lorenzo Tobin, 40, was recovered from Lake Michigan Sunday, following a boating accident that happened Friday night.

The double-decker pleasure yacht capsized with more than a dozen people on board as they were out celebrating a birthday party.

The Chicago Police Department dispatched its Marine Unit and recovered Tobin from the water near 31st Beach Street Harbor. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Tobin’s cousin, Charles Tibbs, upon hearing about the boat capsizing and sinking, flew into Chicago from Arcadia to help in search efforts.

“I flew in Saturday and I was the one who found him,” said Tibbs. “He passed trying to save other people on the boat. Everyone else survived. He was the only one who didn’t make it.”

According to Tibbs, Tobin had a love for boating. “He would go out and ride with his friends all the time. His friend was teaching him all about how to drive the boat and all the safety stuff that went along with it for the last year or two. Every chance he got; he was out on the water.”

Tobin graduated from Arcadia High School in 2003. Following graduation, he moved to Chicago, but often returned home.

“He was a people person,” said Tibbs. “Everybody loved him. He tried to do anything he could in the community to help with the kids.”

Arcadia Mayor O’Landis Millican released a statement on Sunday, saying “(Tobin) was a go-getter, a man filled with hustle and ambition, a motivator, a businessman, a man who was determined to accomplish every goal he set. The passing of Lorenzo is beyond devastating and heartbreaking for not only the Arcadia community but surrounding areas”

Funeral arrangements have not been made yet, but there will be one held in Chicago and a separate service held in Arcadia, where Tobin will be buried.

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