Son of a fallen Border Patrol agent is representing the United States at this year's Paris Olympics

SEATTLE - The Rio Grande Valley community watching the 2024 Paris Olympics at home might have recognized a familiar face competing for a medal in the pools of the French capital.

Shaine Casas, son of Monica and James Epling, a former Border Patrol agent that died in the line of duty more than 20 years ago, participated in the men's 200-meter individual medley and qualified for the semifinals, but a ninth-place finish made him miss the cut for a spot in the final by less than seven tenths of a second.

The tragic death of Epling took place on Dec. 16 of 2003 near the town of Andrade, on the California side of the Colorado River, just west of Yuma, Arizona.

"As I understand it, he heard people screaming and maybe people struggling in the water," said Abel Holguín, a retired U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigator. "He entered the water, and somehow ended up rescuing a lady, perhaps more than one and then continued efforts to apprehend the suspect," he added.

Holguín said that Epling's body disappeared, butit was recovered three days later by a San Bernardino County Sheriff's Dive Team about 29 feet below the surface of the river. "It was in an area where there was a sort of whirlpool, he just couldn't overcome that," said Tyler Emblem, who was part of a newly-formed swift water rescue team back then. "It was shortly before Christmas, it affected everybody massively, we still think of the Epling family to this day."

More than two decades later, former friends and coworkers of Epling see a lot of pride in Casas' efforts, who competed in his first Olympic Games in Paris.

Casas became interested in swimming at a very young age and started competing at seven years old. He then went on to have a successful high school and collegiate career before becoming a professional. The family lives in the border town of McAllen, Texas, where Casas grew up. In the days leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics, their home and local rec center were decorated by friends and supporters with Olympic flags and posters with Casas' name.

Despite Casas being only about four years old at the time of Epling's death, his successful career as a swimmer has provided a sense of closure for fellow Border Patrol agents. "I'm sure he'd be really proud of him," Holguín said.

For Emblem, whether or not Casas wins a medal, it really does not matter. "I'm sure it matters to him if he wins a gold, but to us, it represents something bigger than that," Emblem said. "All of us in the law enforcement community, whether he sees us or not, have a lot of pride in his accomplishments as a man and individual, that is bigger and better," he added.