'He did everything in his power to make us happy': Family remembers father who gave life for daughter at Canyon Lake

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Daja Talley will never forget her 12th birthday. The reason why is truly heartbreaking.

"He said that this was probably going to be the best vacation that we had yet," Daja said.

On Sunday, Michael Talley took his twin girls to Canyon Lake for Daja's birthday trip. She was riding on a jet ski with her dad when a sudden turn caused them to fall off.

"My dad had made a sharp turn and we both fell into the water," Daja said.

Daja said she was wearing a life jacket, but still went under water. After she resurfaced, she started to cry out for her dad. Daja said her dad took off his life jacket and gave it to her.

"He thought I was going to drown," she said.

While Michael struggled to stay above water, someone arrived with another jet ski to help.

"He was saying, 'come on, come on.' Then the lady was trying to let (Michael) on the jet ski and he couldn't, and he slipped off of it," Daja said. "I didn't see him anymore."

Teayla Talley said her brother was a single father, but an amazing dad. The twins mother died after a severe asthma attack when they were three years old.

"Everything he did, he did for these two," Teayla said.

Now, she will raise the twins as her own.

"They're mine now because he would do the same for me," she added.

The twins said they will always be daddy's girls.

"He was an amazing and heroic dad, and we will love him, and pray for him every day and talk to him in heaven," Daja said.

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