SANTEE, Calif. (KGTV) - An East County Marine veteran is preparing for a solemn mission to Montana to find his twin brother and bring him home after a tragic accident.
Jerry Dominguez will soon head to Montana to organize a private search to recover the body of his brother James, who went missing during a rowing training session in mid-July.
58-year-old James Dominguez was training with two others on Flathead Lake in western Montana for an ocean rowing competition when a storm blew in earlier than expected.
"They ended up getting 4-foot waves over the water, and it capsized, and when it capsized, he was pushed further from the boat than the other two," Jerry explained.
A passing boater rescued James' training partners about four hours later, but there was no sign of James. Last Friday, the official search was suspended.
Jerry describes his twin brother as "daring, adventurous" and a proud Marine veteran. After serving in law enforcement in the Marines for 12 years, James served for 14 more years as a Navy reservist based in the San Diego area.
"His appeal to service was helping others, seeing the big picture," Jerry said.
In the coming days, Jerry will travel to Montana to organize a private search using a boat equipped with an underwater drone to search the 200-foot-deep waters.
"It means a lot, because I will be involved. I'm not just waiting for answers," Jerry said when asked about participating in the search.
"Personally, I need to know where he's at. I need him home. This just feels like he is out there somewhere. We're just looking for closure," he added.
As Jerry plans this difficult mission, he's guided by the military motto "No one left behind."
"Marines live by that. It's one of the driving forces. I can't just leave him, I have to find him," Jerry said.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help the family with expenses for the recovery effort.
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