'The kind of man he was': Recently homeless, Good Samaritan died trying to save another

Julius Whigham II, Palm Beach Post
·1 min read
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WEST PALM BEACH — Police in West Palm Beach have identified the man who died this week after diving into the Intracoastal Waterway while attempting to save another person

Investigators say the body of Jason Irwin, 55, was recovered Thursday afternoon after an hourslong search that began Wednesday night.

Irwin, a native of the Buffalo suburb of Orchard Park, N.Y., had lived in South Florida for about a decade. His family told investigators that he had recently endured personal struggles and was homeless, a police spokesperson said Friday.

The initial incident began shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday when a woman near Currie Park reportedly jumped into the waterway. Investigators say Irwin jumped in after her in what appeared to be a rescue attempt. The woman later emerged from the water, but Irwin did not.

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Police and fire-rescue divers began an extensive search with assistance from the Coast Guard and a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office helicopter. Irwin's body was found at about 1 p.m. Thursday on the 2800 block of North Flagler Drive, near 27th Street and north of Currie Park's boat ramp.

The woman was taken to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation. She did not suffer any physical injuries, police said.

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Police spokesperson Mike Jachles described Irwin's family as devastated by news of his death, but not surprised by his attempt to save someone.

"They said that's the kind of person he was," Jachles said.

Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Police name man, 55, who died trying to save woman in Intracoastal