Body of Alberta man recovered two years after saving son from drowning in Kamloops

The body of a man who saved his son from drowning in Kamloops was recovered this month, two years after he was swept away in the North Thompson River.

Stanley Cappis, 50, went under while on a trip through BC when he was at a Kamloops beach with his son on July 12, 2024.

Despite extensive searches, it took two years to find him. Kamloops RCMP said a body was recovered from the water last week, and it was later confirmed to be Cappis, according to a news release.

Cappis was with a friend, his son and another boy at the Tournament Capital Ranch, sitting by the water when the sand gave way and the boys were pulled into the river, his former girlfriend, Carrie Webb, told iNFOnews.ca just weeks after the drowning.

Cappis and his friend jumped in to save the boys. One managed to get to shore and Cappis pulled his son to shore with his friend’s help, but Cappis couldn’t get back. No one saw him re-surface after he went under a second time, she said.

Cappis, from Red Deer, Alberta, was a father of three and has been recognized as a hero for his efforts.

According to Kamloops RCMP, his body was found on July 16.

“We hope this discovery can bring a small amount of closure to family and friends,” spokesperson Cpl. Dana Napier said in a news release.

Cappis was one of several people who drowned in the Kamloops area that year. Another man managed to rescue two university students from the Thompson River a day before Cappis drowned. He was commended for his efforts, but the multiple drownings and close-calls inspired him to become more active in the community, demanding more be done locally to prevent drownings.

This year, one person has drowned in Kamloops so far after a car plunged into the North Thompson River. The Okanagan, meanwhile, has seen five drownings so far this year.