Man Presumed Dead After Kayak Overturns in 400-Foot Deep Lake at Olympic National Park

A newly engaged New York man is presumed to have drowned while kayaking in a frigid Washington lake with his fiancée, according to officials.

The National Park Service identified the victim as Travis Valenti of Massapequa.

Officials say Valenti, 37, was kayaking with his fiancee in Olympic National Park in Port Angeles, Wash., on Friday, when his kayak began taking on water, forcing him to abandon the vessel and enter the lake. His fiancee attempted to rescue him before her kayak overturned.

She was able to swim to shore, but Valenti was unable to follow, say officials.

Neither were wearing life jackets. 

Speaking with News 12 Long Island, the victim’s brother, Austin Valenti, said the couple was vacationing in Washington at the time of the incident.

Valenti, who had proposed two days before his presumed death, pushed his fiancee to safety during his final moments.

“Travis gave her the extra little push that she needed to get safe, and they still haven’t found him since Friday at 2 or 3 p.m.,” Austin told the outlet. 

Officials attempted to recover Valenti from the 400-foot deep waters but were unable to locate him during two separate searches, a release reads. 

“He was just everybody’s favorite guy, including Marlene’s (his fiancee) and all of ours,” Austin added. “They were just a beautiful couple, and they had this beautiful life planned out, and it just gets cut so short out of nowhere.”