‘It truly breaks my heart’: family remembers El Paso man who died in Wisconsin water tank
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- A family is mourning an El Paso man who died after police said he was trapped in a water tank in Wisconsin while cleaning sediment from the tank.
30-year-old Carlos Medina was described by family as an adventurous, free spirited person who helped everybody in need.
Sister, Citlali Medina, said he was an El Paso resident for years. She said it's a place he choose to call his home, and somewhere he hoped to come back to.
Out of the military, family said he looked to make a career under water after finding a passion in scuba diving.
Two weeks into his new job, family was devastated to hear the news.
"It was tragic to read that from a news article and to know that's what happened in the details. It was just shocking," said Medina. "The only thing I could imagine was how scared he was in his last moments and it truly breaks my heart."
According to police, Medina had been cleaning a water tank for about 45 minutes and continued to work after telling coworkers he was getting cold.
Police said coworkers were unable to get him out of the tank because he was tangled in the suction tube and his coworkers believe he may have entered a hypothermic state.
His death was later deemed accidental by authorities.
Family said he made friends everywhere he went.
They said his kindness and love for people will keep him alive in the hearts of many.
"For so many years, he would ask what his purpose in life was, always asking what the meaning of his life was, and the whole time he was fulfilling his meaning in life and he didn't even know it," she said.
