Mom dies saving daughter

Photo: The Canadian Press

Ann Wittenberg is shown in a family handout photo with her kids – son Joshua Emon (back left) , Rachel Emon (bottom left)and Victoria Emon (bottom right).

The twin brother of a woman who died just hours before her daughter's wedding in Tofino, B.C., says the mother of three would have wanted the celebration to go ahead.

Pat Doyle says his sister, Ann Wittenberg, was floating on a surf board with her 21-year-old daughter Sunday morning when a wave pulled them into the ocean.

He says the 52-year-old fought to save her daughter, but could not save herself.

The RCMP says it received a report of a woman in distress at the popular Long Beach on Sunday morning.

Mounties say bystanders managed to get her out of the water and administer first aid, but the woman did not survive.

Doyle says his sister travelled to Vancouver Island from her home in Ottawa for the wedding, which went ahead despite the tragedy.

He says Wittenberg was the pillar of the family and going ahead with the event is what she would have wanted.