Family and friends are mourning the tragic loss of a Harborcreek father and son in a holiday weekend drowning incident.

It happened at Lake Anna in Louisa County, Virginia where they were visiting for a family graduation celebration, a fun event that took a grim turn.

Sources say fourteen-year-old Tyler Atchley entered the water to go after his board that had gotten away, that's when others noticed him struggling in the water and his father entered to rescue him, but neither survived.  Witnesses saw the father struggling before losing sight of him.  Both of their bodies were later recovered by rescue teams.

Heidi Johnson, a cousin of the family talked with CBS affiliate WTVR, Richmond.  "I guess one of the girls said that Tyler...appeared to look like he was drowning so Matt jumped in.  Susan (Tyler's mother) heard the screams and started running down but by that time it was just too way too late," Johnson said.

In the midst of his own grief, the family's pastor Matt Judd at Glenwood Methodist Church called the father's actions a profound example of love.  "Matt died trying to rescue his son," Pastor Judd said, choking back emotion. "That says something about what it means to be a man, it says something about what it means to be a good father, and it reflects God's love for us and that he rescued us by sending his son." Judd used that example to speak to others.  "A challenge to the guys out there to to man up and take care of your responsibilities and not be afraid to do the hard things," he added.

Johnson said the family loved to be together, and she can't imagine the others going on without these two.  "They were so much loved, and they were so much fun to be around.  They loved the Steelers and Tyler loved wrestling and they just were--Matt was just a family man altogether," she said.

In the Harbor Creek School District where Tyler played football and loved to wrestle, the school community is grieving and offering counseling.

At Plastikos, where dad was a quality engineer, they're grieving too.

And the Atchley's church family at Glenwood Methodist is grieving as well. It's grief the pastor hopes will be channeled to support the family. "Families just need us to listen and to hear what they're saying and to grieve alongside them, to cry with them, to hold them, that's the best thing we can do in in moments like these.

"Tyler was very involved in the youth group, I watched him grow up,  he did an adventure camp I was a part of for several years, he was our Easter Bunny for our Easter egg hunt and so we're gonna miss him greatly. His dad Matt was also a great guy, just really faithful caring for his family, loving his wife and his kids," the pastor said.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Dusckas Funeral & Cremation Services Harborcreek 5151 Buffalo Road. 

Calling hours will be Saturday June 1 from 2-4 and 6-8 PM, and on Sunday from 3-6 PM, with the funeral service at 10 AM Monday, conducted by the Rev. Matt Judd.  He said as hard as the loss is, he will remind loved ones they don't grieve without hope. "Tyler and Matt had strong faith in Christ and so we look forward to seeing them you know someday soon, and so we hold on to that as we...live each day and go through this...season of grief."