Ryan Rodeman, adult ministries pastor at Grace Church Bath Campus, Akron, Ohio, was interviewed by the Cleveland television station, Fox 8, regarding the weekend drowning death of Peter Radke. Radke attended the church with his wife and four children. Click here to see the video. A portion of the story also appears below.
Man who died rescuing woman in water remembered as hero
BATH, Ohio — A Medina father of four is being remembered as a hero, after he helped rescue a young woman in Lake Erie, near Huntington Beach, over the weekend.
He sacrificed his own life to save another.
Peter Radke’s actions are no surprise to the people who knew him. Ryan Rodeman, a lead pastor at Grace Church in Bath, describes Radke, 43, as a man of faith who was always willing to help someone in need.
“He’s laid back, loves people. If you ask any of his family or friends, they are going to tell you this was no surprise to them—he was just a sacrificial guy,” Rodeman said.
When there was trouble on Lake Erie Saturday, Radke didn’t hesitate. . . .
“That made sense to me, when I found out that was Pete’s response, that’s no surprise . . . that’s part of who he was. What drove him in life was a love for people, and he knew what Jesus sacrificed for him, and I think he was willing to do that for another,” Rodeman said.
“The family wants everyone to know that what happened is tragic yet heroic. And at the end of the day, Pete’s love for Jesus is what drove him—that was true last week, last month, yesterday—even the decision to save a life and risk his own,” he said.
Click here to see the video and the complete story.