Story highlights A Texas police officer dressed up as a superhero for a boy's funeral

The officer had tried to rescue the 5-year-old from a pool, but the boy died

(CNN) Police Officer Damon Cole was already a superhero to Joshua Garcia's family, so they asked him to dress as Spider-Man for the boy's funeral.

Cole was the first officer on the scene after the 5-year-old boy was reported missing earlier this month in Fort Worth, Texas. The officer went into a murky, back yard swimming pool to search for him, according to a Fort Worth police department spokesman. Before Cole was at the scene, Joshua's mother was already searching for the small boy, but the water was almost black and there was trash and debris in the pool, obscuring her view.

Cole managed to find Joshua and pulled him out of the water, but rescuers were not able to revive him. Joshua was wearing a Spider-Man shirt and shoes when he died.

"There's not a minute that has gone by that I haven't thought about Joshua and his family," Cole told a Dallas television station.

Cole's sergeant recommended him for a departmental award, and Joshua's family presented him with a signed, wooden plaque calling him a "police hero."

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