ELK RIVER, Minn. — The body of a 41-year-old man was recovered from the Mississippi River on Sunday, officials said.
That man, now identified as Cody Jay Pope, initially disappeared underwater after he had worked to rescue two children from the current on Friday, according to the Sherburne County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies initially responded to reports of several people struggling in the water at Rivers Edge Commons in Elk River just before noon on Friday. A man now identified as Pope and two children had been swimming off a sandbar in the Mississippi River, according to sheriff's officials.
Witnesses said while swimming the two children began to struggle in the river current. Pope grabbed a juvenile female and was able to pull her onto the sandbar, then jumped back in to rescue the second child. The sheriff's office said Pope was able to push that child back to safety before he disappeared underwater himself.
The kids told first responders that their dad was missing.
Pope's body was located by the Wright County Water Patrol near the Oliver Kelley farm at around 9:40 a.m. Sunday. His partner memorialized him in a Facebook post Sunday calling him an amazing dad and a true hero in his last moments.
"I don’t know how I will make it without him, he was my rock and did so much for anyone and everyone he knew," wrote Cheryl Holzknecht in the post. "Such a selfless human and gone far far too soon. Our family is being lifted up by so many right now and we see you and appreciate every last one of you."
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.