Engineering senior drowns in attempt to rescue his father

Along with thousands of University students, Engineering junior Enrique Parada flew home in May -- fully expecting to return for his final year on campus after a summer in Panama. But tragedy struck, making the completion of his degree impossible. On May 19, Parada died while trying to save his father, Ramiro, in a swimming accident near their home. Parada and his father, a civil engineer, were surveying property and decided to take a break to go swimming. Possibly because of strong currents, Parada's father began to struggle in the water, according to Engineering Minority Programs Director Cora Ingrum. Parada attempted to rescue his father, who had a heart attack while in the water, said Parada's former roommate Juan Roman, an Engineering senior. But Parada was also pulled down into the water. Both bodies were recovered early the next morning. "Enrique was a wonderful young man and student," said Ingrum, one of Parada's advisors. "I can only imagine how his poor mother must feel." Parada, a Systems Engineering major, was very involved with the University's Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. Parada's brother, also named Ramiro, is a 1994 Engineering graduate. Roman said Parada "was one of the best people I've ever met." Beyond his engineering activities, Parada took a strong interest in others with a similar background to his own. Roman related that Parada helped a Panamanian family that could not speak English while their two-year-old child underwent cancer treatment. From talking with doctors to going grocery shopping, Parada "was like a godfather to them," Roman said. Wharton senior Juan Carlos Blanco planned to live with Parada and Roman this year. "He was an excellent human being and a dear friend," Blanco said. "I never heard anyone say a bad word about him. We miss him greatly." Many students in Parada's Engineering classes did not hear about the tragedy until the semester's start. Transportation Professor Vukan Vuchic spoke about the death during his first class last week. Students in Vuchic's class are especially close because it is a two-semester project that began last spring. "It was a very shocking and tough experience to hear that one of my classmates died," said Engineering senior Michael LaMonaca, one of Parada's former lab partners. Friends and family are planning a memorial mass September 28 at the Newman Center.