CARTERET COUNTY, N.C. -- A Jacksonville man who lost his father due to rip currents over the weekend is speaking to Spectrum News.

Tyler Patterson says his 48-year-old father Robert just moved to North Carolina in March so the two could be closer.

Robert died Tuesday afternoon after being pulled out of Emerald Isle waters Sunday.

Tyler says he, his dad and girlfriend were at the beach with four friends when the group got caught in the current.

"We were throwing the football around and next thing you know there is three people around my dad trying to carry him in. I helped get him in so far, then my girlfriend started calling my name because she was getting pulled in by a rip tide. That's when everything really started setting in. So I drug her in, I drug two of my friends in, next think you know he's 25 feet out in the water," said Tyler.

The family is asking for help with funeral expenses.

They plan to fly Robert Patterson's remains back to Ohio for burial.