A River’s Deadly Secret and One Man’s Relentless Pursuit
The Kaweah River in Sequoia National Park, a seemingly idyllic waterway, holds a hidden danger beneath its deceptively calm surface. For Joanne Calasanz and her sister, Jomarie, a late May dip turned into a nightmare when a powerful current swept them away. Joanne survived, battered and breathless, but Jomarie disappeared into the churning rapids.
The terrifying experience left Joanne with vivid memories: “You don’t know if you’re going up or going down, and you’re getting smacked by the rocks like a pinball.”
After a fruitless search by official teams, hope dwindled. The family, desperate for closure, learned of a local legend – a man known for finding the bodies of drowning victims when others had given up.
Enter Juan Heredia: The Unofficial Recovery Expert
Juan Heredia, a 53-year-old scuba instructor from Stockton, has carved out a unique and somber niche. In a little over a year, he has recovered the bodies of a dozen drowning victims, often succeeding where authorities have deemed conditions too hazardous. His methods are simple yet courageous: donning his wetsuit, mask, and snorkel, he enters the water alone, relying on his experience and intuition to navigate treacherous currents.
Last summer, Heredia located the body of 17-year-old Bree Scott, who had drowned in the Kaweah. Official search efforts, employing rafts, helicopters, and drones, had been unsuccessful. Stacey Williams, a photographer familiar with the Kaweah, observed, “Bree was only under about a foot of water, but you never would have seen her from a boat or the sky. The only way to see her would be in the water.”
A Calling Born of Compassion
Heredia’s Facebook page, with its large following, reflects the growing demand for his services. Desperate families from around the globe – Alaska, Canada, England – contact him, pleading for help in finding their lost loved ones.
“I think when they call and tell me they have a loved one who has drowned, it opens up a wound in me, too. And then I need closure,” Heredia explained. “I can’t stop thinking about them alone in that dark water.”
The overwhelming need prompted Heredia to dedicate himself full-time to his non-profit, Angels Recovery Dive Team, supported by donations from his online followers. He provides his services free of charge to grieving families.
From Argentina to the Rescue
Heredia’s connection to the water began in his childhood in Argentina, where he fished with his father. He became a certified scuba diver and instructor, teaching throughout the Americas. He recalled a formative experience in his mid-20s, when he recovered the body of a young man after the fire department deemed the water too dangerous. “His name was Segura. He was only 19. I’ve never forgotten him,” Heredia said.
Life led him to real estate and construction, but a personal tragedy reignited his passion for recovery work. In the spring of 2023, his 20-year-old stepson drowned after crashing his car into a canal.
Shortly after this event, Heredia learned of a missing 15-year-old boy, Xavier Martinez, who disappeared in the Calaveras River. He drove to the riverbank and found Xavier’s mother, who directed him to a specific spot in the water. Thirty minutes later, Heredia found Xavier exactly where his mother had indicated.
A Lone Wolf in Murky Waters
Since then, Heredia has recovered numerous bodies. While he acknowledges and praises official agencies in his social media, they often remain silent about his contributions. “I think it’s a little embarrassing, sometimes, if this random guy from Argentina finishes the job,” Heredia commented.
Recently, Heredia recovered the bodies of three men who drowned beneath Rattlesnake Falls. Despite the Sheriff’s Office deploying a helicopter and divers, they were unable to locate the victims due to strong currents and poor visibility. After the official search was suspended, Heredia, contacted by a friend of one of the victims, hiked to the waterfall and recovered all three bodies.
The Sheriff’s Office, while updating its Facebook post on the drownings, did not mention Heredia’s involvement. They later questioned him about the recovery, showing him a law prohibiting the manipulation of dead bodies without consent.
One emergency official, speaking anonymously, admitted that their dive team members admire Heredia’s work but are constrained by regulations and protocols. “But at the end of the day, it’s about bringing closure to families, and he’s certainly doing that,” the official said.
The Search for Jomarie
In early June, Heredia searched for Jomarie Calasanz in the Kaweah River, but was forced to call off the search after injuring his ankle. He returned in mid-July, determined to find her.
Joanne Calasanz and her parents met Heredia at the river, thanking him and holding vigil while he searched. Her father, Francis, explained that they were unaware of the river’s dangerous undercurrent. “It was ‘deceivingly calm’,” he said.
Despite grueling conditions, Heredia searched tirelessly for hours. “You go and look everywhere and she’s not there,” he said, expressing his frustration. He continued the search the next day, but without success.
Heredia’s dedication to finding those lost in the water remains unwavering. His relentless pursuit provides a glimmer of hope for grieving families seeking closure in the face of tragedy.