Family mourns loss of man killed in Forest Falls flash flood

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (KABC) -- Family members mourned the loss of a 25-year-old killed when flood waters overtook him during a hiking date in Forest Falls.

Brett Usher's family remembers the good times they had with him in light of his tragic death.

"He loved to go to Comic-Con. He loved superheroes and he would go every year. He made his whole costume himself," his mother, Ruth Usher, said.

Her son and a young woman were on a first date and decided to go hiking near Mill Creek Crossing in Forest Falls. They were suddenly caught in a powerful rain and hail storm, which caused fast-moving flood waters to fill the nearby river bed.

Usher was swept away, but the woman survived. Now his family is honoring the life of fun and adventure that he lived.

"We know he'd want us to go on. We have a family tradition. For the last 18 years we've gone to Disneyland on Christmas Eve. Loved Disneyland, huge Disney freak...we were discussing last night, 'Do we keep that going?' And my other son said, 'Yeah, he would want us, too,'" his father, Robert Usher, said.

The young woman he was on a date with spoke to his family, telling them Usher saved her life.

In a text she said, "Dear Ruth...your son yesterday, he saved my life and I am forever grateful."

The Usher family planned a balloon release ceremony in his honor that will be held at 10 a.m. Sunday at Victoria Arbors Park in Rancho Cucamonga.