Man, 21, drowns to death trying to save teenage girl - one hour after being baptized in the same lake

A 21-year-old man drowned to death after saving a teen girl in a Texas lake - just an hour after getting baptized in the same water.

Lincer Lopez, 21, drowned in Lake Waxahachie, Texas, on Saturday afternoon when he rushed to save the girl. 

The heroic act came shortly after Lopez had 'dedicated his life to God' in a baptism ceremony with his church group at the lake. 

Tributes have poured in for the 'hero' victim who was enjoying the water following his ceremony when the incident happened.

Waxahachie Police Department responded to reports of a drowning at Boat Dock Park around 12:45 pm. They discovered that Lopez had tragically lost his life while attempting to save the girl. 

Lincer Lopez, 21, drowned in Lake Waxahachie, Texas, on Saturday afternoon when he rushed to save a drowning teenage girl

The heroic act came shortly after Lopez had 'dedicated his life to God' in a baptism ceremony with his church group at the lake

The teenager, who was in the same church group as Lopez, was pulled from the water by a passing boater who miraculously revived her with CPR. However, Lopez did not make it was pronounced dead at the hospital. 

Jacob Bell, the boater who helped rescue the girl, told WFAA: 'I haven't really begun to, it hasn't sunk in yet. It's hard.'

Bell, whose own brother drowned at just three years old, called Lopez a 'hero.'

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'He was a hero, he had just been baptized and gave his life to the lord,' he said.

'Our family, we pray for his family, and we pray for the little girl's family. And he was a strong boy, they should be very proud of him,' he added. 

Lopez's uncle Lincer revealed the young man had been so excited about his baptism that he couldn't sleep the night before.

He also shared that Lopez worked tirelessly in construction to support his seven younger siblings in Mexico, where they live along with his parents. 

He said his nephew was a hero who selflessly put others before him. 

'He was a hero. He didn't think twice about rescuing someone else,' he told the outlet in Spanish. 'He didn't think about the risk that he could die. And he did risk his life to save somebody else's.' 

Lopez's uncle Lincer revealed the young man had been so excited about his baptism that he couldn't sleep the night before

A nearby boater, Jacob Bell, whose own brother drowned at just three years old, pulled the girl from the water and miraculously revived her with CPR

Lopez's uncle shared that Lopez worked tirelessly in construction to support his seven younger siblings in Mexico, where they live along with his parents

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Lopez's family return his body to his parents in Mexico, where they live.

As of Monday afternoon, the fundraiser has reached $8,985 of its $25,000 goal.

'We ask for your help from the community and friends of the Mejía López Family, we need to raise funds to transport his body to Chiapas Mx, his hometown where his loved ones await him,' the description reads.

The Waxahachie Police Department expressed their condolences on Facebook.

'The Waxahachie Police Department, along with the entire community, would like to extend our deepest condolences to the victim's family,' they wrote.