Wooster Lake drowning victim identified as Mirza Muzaffarov, 35

FOX LAKE, Ill. (WLS) -- The man who drowned in Wooster Lake was identified as Mirza Muzaffarov, 35, of Chicago.

Muzaffarov was reported missing around 6 p.m. Sunday after a canoe he and three others, two of whom were children, were riding in flipped over. Nic Santiago was walking with his wife onshore when he dove into the cold water and swam out to save two children, ages 10 and 11.

"All I hear was the kids saying, 'My dad! My dad is still under water,'" Nic Santiago, Good Samaritan, said. "I pulled the kids into the canoe and the older man into the canoe."

Santiago brought those three to the shore before going back in the lake to search for the children's father. Fox Lake Fire Department divers used sonar to search the water. Muzaffarov's body was found three hours later in 20-foot deep water about 50 yards from the shore.

"Nobody was wearing life jackets, like I said, and the individual couldn't swim very well and unfortunately drowned," Fox Lake Fire Battalion Chief Tom Preidis said.

Muzaffarov's body was found around 9:15 p.m. He was identified by the Lake County Coroner on Monday morning.

Santiago is being hailed a hero, but said he wishes he could have done more.

"I just feel like I could have done more. I keep replaying it," he said.