Park City Drowning Victim Identified As Naval Academy Midshipman

PARK CITY, Utah – Officials with the United States Naval Academy said a 22-year-old man who drowned at a Park City resort swimming pool was Midshipman 1^st Class John Johnson of Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

A news release said Johnson was on leave from the Naval Academy when he drowned at the Westgate Park City Resort and Spa pool Monday night.

Midshipman 1/C John Johnson, 22, of Chapel Hill, N.C., died late evening Monday, Dec. 14, in a drowning accident. https://t.co/xOe2b8yRMU pic.twitter.com/NwtSa7Egse

— U.S. Naval Academy (@NavalAcademy) December 16, 2020

Summit County Deputies said Johnson was with three friends at the hotel and they had been drinking throughout the day. He told the friends that he was “going to do underwater breathing training in the pool and attempt to hold his breath longer than he had before.”

After five minutes Johnson had not surfaced and his friends jumped into the pool. He was unconscious and friends and medical personnel could not revive him. Johnson was transported to Park City Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

“We are deeply saddened to learn about the death of Midshipman John Johnson,” said Vice Adm. Sean Buck, superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy. “My wife Joanne, and I, on behalf of our Naval Academy family here in Annapolis including the many midshipmen, faculty, and staff who had formed deep bonds with John, extend our heartfelt condolences to the Johnson family.”

Johnson was a senior at the academy where he was an honors mathematics major, officials said. He was near the top of his class with a 3.97 GPA, which also put him in the top 100 academically and top 40 overall among his classmates.

“If I were to describe John in one word, it would be ‘passion,’” said 29^th Company Officer Lt. Eric Nordquist. “He epitomized and excelled in every area, and earned the respect of everyone who crossed his path. He will be sorely missed by the 29^th Company in so many ways.”