One Month After Drowning, Family Asking for Help. - FOX 42: Omaha News, Sports and Weather; kptm.com |

One Month After Drowning, Family Asking for Help.

Meghan McRoberts

OMAHA (KPTM)-

34- year old Michael Hartsook's body was found in early July after he drowned in Lake Hanson in Sarpy County.

His friends say he jumped in the water and they never saw him come back up.

Now, his loved ones are moving forward and hoping for a little help from the community.

"So far, not a day goes by that I don't think about it," said Hartsook's friend Doug Abel. He was on the boat with Hartsook the day he died.

"He was a really good swimmer and everything. We didn't worry too much about him right away, but he just never came back," explained Abel.

Chris Grabenschroer was also on the lake with Hartsook that day. "It's tough, we've all been dealing with it," said Grabenshroer.'

Friends and family have now had a few weeks to swallow what happened, trying to find a silver lining around his death. "It's made a lot of our families and friends just bond a lot tighter and become much closer," said Abel.

They've made bracelets with his name and necklaces with his fingerprint.

Hartsook leaves behind a fiancee and two little girls.

That's why friends of his are putting together a benefit fundraiser to keep his fiancee and children comfortable.

"We're going to help the family out and just get everybody taken care of," explained Grabenschroer.

"We won't have to worry about his family as much that they're taken care of financially at least for a little while. That would be one comfort," supported Abel.

Hartsook's friends and family have scheduled a benefit on August 25 at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2503 building near 90^th and Military from 2pm to 10pm.

A $5 admission will go towards the family. It includes food, and face painting and balloons or kids.

There will also be a silent auction and raffle.