A North Carolina father died Sunday after he was swept out in rough waters while trying to rescue four of his kids who were struggling off the coast.

Johnny Lee Vann Jr., 35, rescued four of his children on Wrightsville Beach –about 10 miles east of Wilmington– before he was dragged into the ocean

First responders retrieved Vann but an emergency crew was unable to revive him, officials said.

Town officials described the incident as a possible drowning

Vann’s wife said her husband didn’t hesitate to save his kids when he saw them struggling in the water. She said when others at the beach ran towards him, he said: “Forget about me. Get my kids.”

“You couldn’t ask for a better person,” she said.