Thomas P. Girard passed away unexpectedly. He was born in Manchester, CT, the son of Donald and Alice Girard. Mr. Girard had been employed as a computer technician at Connecticut College in New London until the time of his death. On July 15, 1989 he was united in marriage to the former Carol Madore who survives him. Mr. Girard was a communicant of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Voluntown, and a member of the Knights of Lepanto. Besides his wife he is survived by two sons Adam and Lucas Girard, two daughters Jacqueline and Hannah Girard, three brothers Robert Girard of IL, Edward Girard of NY and Kenneth Girard of GA, and a sister Elaine Ricci of RI. Mr. Girard was joined in death by his son, Marc E. Girard who passed away July 1, 2008. He was predeceased by a brother Lawrence Girard. A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Mary's Church, Route 207 Baltic, CT.
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A swimming trip to Green Falls Pond ended in the drownings of a 45-year-old father and his teenage son, state police said.
Thomas Girard was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. He lived on Preston City Road with his family, less than a mile from Pachaug State Forest, where the pond is located.
Marc Girard, 17, died early Tuesday at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, RI, state police said.
State police and Voluntown fire officials have varying versions of the incident.
Location of drowning Map Fire Chief Jody Grenier, who could not be reached Tuesday, told The Courant on Monday that Thomas Girard, his daughter and two sons were swimming toward an island in the middle of the pond when Marc Girard went under water. State police said Marc Girard was trying to rescue his father who became distressed while swimming.
Local firefighters, dispatched after a 911 call around 7:45 p.m., pulled the father and son from the water, brought them to an island and started CPR, Grenier said.
Thomas Girard was pronounced dead at the scene. Marc Girard was airlifted to Rhode Island Hospital. His siblings were taken to William Backus Hospital in Norwich.
The deaths are the family's second tragic event in recent months, said neighbor Rick Calle, 13. The family's house burned down last year and they had been living in a trailer on their property, Rick said.
He said he and his brother, 8-year-old Hunter, saw smoke coming from the house and alerted their parents, who dialed 911. The Girards were not home at the time of the fire.
"They had to watch their house burn down and now they had to watch their dad and brother die. They already went through something that was really hard," Rick said.
Rick and Hunter described the Girard family as religious and nice, especially the elder Girard.
"He used to play kickball with us," Hunter said.
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A swimming trip to Green Falls Pond ended in the drownings of a 45-year-old father and his teenage son, state police said.
Thomas Girard was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. He lived on Preston City Road with his family, less than a mile from Pachaug State Forest, where the pond is located.
Marc Girard, 17, died early Tuesday at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, RI, state police said.
State police and Voluntown fire officials have varying versions of the incident.
Location of drowning Map Fire Chief Jody Grenier, who could not be reached Tuesday, told The Courant on Monday that Thomas Girard, his daughter and two sons were swimming toward an island in the middle of the pond when Marc Girard went under water. State police said Marc Girard was trying to rescue his father who became distressed while swimming.
Local firefighters, dispatched after a 911 call around 7:45 p.m., pulled the father and son from the water, brought them to an island and started CPR, Grenier said.
Thomas Girard was pronounced dead at the scene. Marc Girard was airlifted to Rhode Island Hospital. His siblings were taken to William Backus Hospital in Norwich.
The deaths are the family's second tragic event in recent months, said neighbor Rick Calle, 13. The family's house burned down last year and they had been living in a trailer on their property, Rick said.
He said he and his brother, 8-year-old Hunter, saw smoke coming from the house and alerted their parents, who dialed 911. The Girards were not home at the time of the fire.
"They had to watch their house burn down and now they had to watch their dad and brother die. They already went through something that was really hard," Rick said.
Rick and Hunter described the Girard family as religious and nice, especially the elder Girard.
"He used to play kickball with us," Hunter said.
Thomas P. Girard passed away unexpectedly. He was born in Manchester, CT, the son of Donald and Alice Girard. Mr. Girard had been employed as a computer technician at Connecticut College in New London until the time of his death. On July 15, 1989 he was united in marriage to the former Carol Madore who survives him. Mr. Girard was a communicant of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Voluntown, and a member of the Knights of Lepanto. Besides his wife he is survived by two sons Adam and Lucas Girard, two daughters Jacqueline and Hannah Girard, three brothers Robert Girard of IL, Edward Girard of NY and Kenneth Girard of GA, and a sister Elaine Ricci of RI. Mr. Girard was joined in death by his son, Marc E. Girard who passed away July 1, 2008. He was predeceased by a brother Lawrence Girard. A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Mary's Church, Route 207 Baltic, CT.
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A swimming trip to Green Falls Pond ended in the drownings of a 45-year-old father and his teenage son, state police said.
Thomas Girard was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. He lived on Preston City Road with his family, less than a mile from Pachaug State Forest, where the pond is located.
Marc Girard, 17, died early Tuesday at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, RI, state police said.
State police and Voluntown fire officials have varying versions of the incident.
Location of drowning Map Fire Chief Jody Grenier, who could not be reached Tuesday, told The Courant on Monday that Thomas Girard, his daughter and two sons were swimming toward an island in the middle of the pond when Marc Girard went under water. State police said Marc Girard was trying to rescue his father who became distressed while swimming.
Local firefighters, dispatched after a 911 call around 7:45 p.m., pulled the father and son from the water, brought them to an island and started CPR, Grenier said.
Thomas Girard was pronounced dead at the scene. Marc Girard was airlifted to Rhode Island Hospital. His siblings were taken to William Backus Hospital in Norwich.
The deaths are the family's second tragic event in recent months, said neighbor Rick Calle, 13. The family's house burned down last year and they had been living in a trailer on their property, Rick said.
He said he and his brother, 8-year-old Hunter, saw smoke coming from the house and alerted their parents, who dialed 911. The Girards were not home at the time of the fire.
"They had to watch their house burn down and now they had to watch their dad and brother die. They already went through something that was really hard," Rick said.
Rick and Hunter described the Girard family as religious and nice, especially the elder Girard.
"He used to play kickball with us," Hunter said.
------------------------------------------
A swimming trip to Green Falls Pond ended in the drownings of a 45-year-old father and his teenage son, state police said.
Thomas Girard was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. He lived on Preston City Road with his family, less than a mile from Pachaug State Forest, where the pond is located.
Marc Girard, 17, died early Tuesday at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, RI, state police said.
State police and Voluntown fire officials have varying versions of the incident.
Location of drowning Map Fire Chief Jody Grenier, who could not be reached Tuesday, told The Courant on Monday that Thomas Girard, his daughter and two sons were swimming toward an island in the middle of the pond when Marc Girard went under water. State police said Marc Girard was trying to rescue his father who became distressed while swimming.
Local firefighters, dispatched after a 911 call around 7:45 p.m., pulled the father and son from the water, brought them to an island and started CPR, Grenier said.
Thomas Girard was pronounced dead at the scene. Marc Girard was airlifted to Rhode Island Hospital. His siblings were taken to William Backus Hospital in Norwich.
The deaths are the family's second tragic event in recent months, said neighbor Rick Calle, 13. The family's house burned down last year and they had been living in a trailer on their property, Rick said.
He said he and his brother, 8-year-old Hunter, saw smoke coming from the house and alerted their parents, who dialed 911. The Girards were not home at the time of the fire.
"They had to watch their house burn down and now they had to watch their dad and brother die. They already went through something that was really hard," Rick said.
Rick and Hunter described the Girard family as religious and nice, especially the elder Girard.
"He used to play kickball with us," Hunter said.
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