Illinois man drowns in Lake Michigan after rescuing tubing kids in affluent Chicago suburb

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Illinois man drowns in Lake Michigan while assisting kids

Luke Laidley, 43, jumped in the water to help some kids who were tubing when he began to struggle to swim. Credit: WFLD Chicago

An Illinois man drowned in Lake Michigan on Tuesday while helping some children who were tubing.

He was identified by officials as 43-year-old Luke Laidley of Winnetka, an affluent Chicago suburb. 

"Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this difficult time," Winnetka Police Chief Brian O'Connell said in a statement.

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A boat in Lake Michigan. An Illinois man drowned in the lake Tuesday while trying to assist some children who were tubing, authorities said.  (WFLD)

The Winnetka police and fire departments responded to Elder Beach around 1:25 p.m., Fox Chicago reported. 

When they arrived, they learned that Laidley was part of a boating group on the lakefront and had jumped into the water to help some kids who were tubing. 

While in the water, he began to struggle to swim and eventually drowned. He was pulled back onto the boat and given CPR.

The shoreline of Elder Beach in Winnetka, Illinois. A man drowned at the beach Tuesday, authorities said. (Winnetka Park District)

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The boat went back to the shore and paramedics tried to save him. He was taken to Northshore Evanston Hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Winnetka is one of the Chicago area's wealthiest suburbs and one of the most affluent in the United States where the median household income was $250,000 or higher, according to U.S. Census figures. The city is also where the exterior shots for the house used in the Christmas classic "Home Alone" was filmed.