5 Christians who died trying to save the lives of others

By Samantha Kamman, Christian Post Reporter Friday, January 20, 2023

Evangelist drowns trying to save friend during Florida men's retreat

Julian Palma, 44 (L-photos) with his wife and children. Ivan Torres, 29 (R) with his wife. Both drowned during a men's retreat at Lake Manatee in Florida on Saturday, April 30, 2016, after a canoe they were in capsized. Palma died trying to save Torres. | (Photo: GoFundMe)

In May 2016, Rev. Jose "Jessie" Perez of Rio de Vida Ministries in Florida witnessed the drowning deaths of evangelist Julian Palma, 44, and Ivan Torres, 29, who were also members of his congregation.

Perez told The Bradenton Herald the three of them were participating in a fellowship retreat at Lake Manatee State Park with 11 other men. During the retreat, the men took to the lake in four boats after a brief morning worship.

One of the canoes carrying Palma, Torres and another man, Juan Gomez, was capsized by a wave as the three men were fishing. While Gomez gripped the canoe and instructed the other men to hold onto it, the pair started swimming instead. Perez believes that Palma let go of the canoe in an attempt to save Torres, who had tried to swim to safety.

"I heard them screaming," Perez said. "They were swimming. I turned around and tried to go toward them. We weren't able to reach them. As we were going toward them, we saw Ivan actually submerge.

"We were about 100 feet from him, and we got closer, and Julian submerged also," the pastor said. "We were not able to get to them. But we got Juan Gomez. He is with us."

Another pastor at The Family Church who was present at the retreat, Rev. Luis Brignoni, remembered that two men as "amazing men of God."

"They were both amazing men of God," Brignoni said. "Julian was one of those pastors who practiced what he preached. He had so much love in his heart."

Palma was married and had four children, while Torres left behind his wife.

"I can't believe he is gone," Perez said of Palma. "His generosity, his kindness, his light for God. He would give without having himself. He was our evangelist. He had the gift of healing. The Lord has used him for a lot of miracles."

The pastor also said that Torres was "a very faithful member of the church who came as often as he could."