Man dies after being pinned under lawnmower in canal in Lehigh Acres

Renters in Lehigh Acres discovered a body in a canal pinned under a lawnmower Wednesday.

A family we spoke to says they were walking their dog when they found a man had died after being pinned underneath a lawnmower in the backyard canal of a neighborhood home.

Neighbors say the victim meant a great deal to his community.

“I lost a very dear friend, neighbor, and the community has lost a great person, also,” Dan Abroe said.

The victim’s name has not been released by Lee County Sheriff’s Office at this time.

Abroe told us the victim loved helping his neighbors.

“He does lawns around the neighborhood here to try to make ends meet,” Abroe explained.

Abroe says his friend also spent time taking care of his wife.

“His wife … needs help now,” Abroe said. “She can’t do this by herself. He’s actually been taking care of her. She just got out of a nursing home, and now, us neighbors are going to have to step in.”

Abroe spoke with his neighbor hours before police tape went up, and he already misses his friend.

“This is a tragic loss to everybody, the community too,” Abroe said. “Does a lot of stuff for the community as well.”

Abroe told us the neighbor who died lived a short distance from the home where he was found and would use his lawnmower to do landscaping for many homes in the area.

We reached out to the sheriff’s office for more information, but we’re still waiting to hear back.

Abroe says the man who died also loved volunteering at his local church and now hopes the community will gather in prayer.

“Gonna be on the prayer list and get the prayer warriors out for his family and hope that God … makes more room for good people,” Abroe said.