Jon Paul Dowler GoFundMe: Friend launches fundraiser as Michigan man dies saving daughters from sinking car

A tragic car accident in Ottawa County in the early hours of Sunday morning led to the death of Jon Paul Dowler, 52, who was traveling with his young daughters.

Authorities, however, believe that the father, at the last minute, had opened the car’s hatch, which allowed his daughters to swim to safety.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for the heroic father who died saving his young children. The fundraiser, organized by a family friend, aims to ameliorate the financial situation of Jon Paul Dowler's wife, Jennifer.

The fundraiser described Dowler as the "most important man" in the lives of his wife and their two daughters.

"Not only did they lose the most important man in their life but also the only car the family had. Jenny and the girls are gonna need, not just loving support from her friends, family, and community but also financial help getting through the transition of such a sudden tragic loss."

The organizer further added that she wished to help the grieving family with their immediate financial burdens.

"My goal is to help her raise funds to support the immediate financial burdens, so she can focus her time and energy getting herself and the girls through the roughest time of their lives. I'm just hoping and praying we can all come together and help make such a tragic time, not so hard for this wonderful loving family to overcome."

The GoFundMe page for Jon Paul Dowler's family has raised over $6,500 as of Wednesday.

---

Police believe that Jon Paul Dowler's death was "a pure accident"

Early on Sunday morning, Jon Paul Dowler drove his car into a Michigan lake, but reportedly saved his children by popping open the car’s hatch, which created an escape route for them. The incident took place in Ottawa County, about a 40-mile drive southeast of Otsego, where the family hailed from.

While a police investigation is underway, Ottawa County sheriff’s Lt. Eric Westveer is of the opinion that the father-of-two lost his way while on his way home and drove down a road end on Jenison Avenue just past Lakeway Drive in south Park Township, ultimately driving straight into Lake Macatawa.

Regarding the horrible accident, Westveer said:

"He was trying to break his windows to get out. It looks like he possibly popped [the hatch release]"

His daughters, ages 8 and 10, allegedly swam to safety at around 2 am and spent the night huddled together on the porch of a lake house. According to the police, they knocked on the front door of a home about 200 yards from the shore for help around 9 am.

Westveer further added:

"We’re still trying to talk to the girls. It sounds like they were lost and disoriented. They were trying to get home...it appears to be a pure accident."

Lorelei Denton, a longtime family friend, told MLive:

"I just know they were headed home. I don’t know what happened other than them getting lost. Jon loved his girls and he would never do anything to hurt them."

Law enforcement has stated that in the present situation, it remains unclear where they were going or where they were coming from before the tragic accident led to the death of Jon Paul Dowler, as the young girls are still traumatized.