Off-duty Chicago Fire Dept. captain dies in apparent drowning in Jackson Park Harbor
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Chicago Fire Department captain has died after he apparently drowned in Jackson Park Harbor Sunday night, authorities said.
Chicago Fire Captain Darryl Moore, 55, off-duty and attending an end-of-summer boat party was attending a party at Jackson Park Harbor in the 6500-block of South Richards Drive.
Moore stepped onto the pier for a moment, his friends thought he would be right back. When he never returned, they became worried.
The Coast Guard, Chicago Police Marine Unit and Fire Department started searching for him in the water and recovered Moore's body early Monday morning. A procession transported him to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office where on-duty Chicago Fire Department members saluted his body.
Darryl Moore was the captain of Truck 40 at a firehouse in Beverly. His colleagues said after more than 30 years on the job, he was looking forward to retirement.
"It's just going to be uh, it's going to be a different firehouse," said Firefighter Percy Greenwood. "Definitely going to be a different firehouse."
His presence and outgoing personality will be missed.
"He made an impression on everybody that met him," said Chicago Fire Captain Jim Trinidad. "If you knew him, he was very, very boisterous. He was very loud, and very genuine. A real gentlemen's gentlemen"
Moore leaves behind a wife and three adult children. He was getting ready to retire in November.
"That is the hard part of it, when you look at all of the future events that this man was looking so much forward to, to having, and have them stripped away from such a dynamic man, a proud father, an excellent firefighter, a great leader, it is an absolutely devastating loss to have this happen," said Chicago Fire Chief Barry Garr.
Purple bunting hanged from the firehouse as family members and firefighters gathered outside and held hands while they said a prayer.
It appears Moore died from an apparent drowning. An autopsy will be conducted Monday.
