Body of father of 2 recovered from Lake Lanier

HALL COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County Fire and Rescue said the body of a man who disappeared early Saturday evening at East Bank Park off of Buford Dam Road has been recovered in 20 feet of water.

Walter Juarez Guardado’s family told Channel 2′s Veronica Griffin that he was on the water when his jet-ski started to sink.

They say Guardado jumped off it and into the water to swim to shore, but he never made it.

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Crews searched the lake for a second day on Sunday into the early evening. Guardado’s body was recovered on Monday afternoon.

Family said Guardado, 37, is the father of two young girls.

Searchers said the man’s girlfriend looked for him first but could not find him.

Gwinnett County Fire, Hall County Fire, and volunteer drivers with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) helped in the search Sunday as more than 30 family members and friends looked on holding out hope.

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The family allowed Griffin to talk to Juarez Guardado’s oldest daughter, Angie Juarez.

“He cares about people a lot. He cares about his daughters and his mother. Everything he did was for us. You know, it’s just sad and obviously devastating,” Juarez said.

Volunteer divers with the DNR plan to be back out searching on the water shortly after 8 a.m. Monday morning.

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