logo
Rushing to save swimmers, a former baseball player and police officer loses his life

Rushing to save swimmers, a former baseball player and police officer loses his life

Independent17-07-2025
Chase Childers, a former minor league baseball player and ex-police officer, has died after rushing into the ocean to save swimmers in a rip current, according to police in South Carolina and a GoFundMe page for his family.
Trying to help a family of five, Childers paid 'the highest sacrifice with his life in front of his three children and wife,' according to the fundraiser. Childers died Sunday, the police department for Pawleys Island, which is south of Myrtle Beach, stated in a post on X.
Police said he and another person 'entered the water to help 4 - 5 individuals who were in distress. Sadly, Mr. Childers was caught in the rip current, as well. He died trying to save others.'
When the family and the other man came back to shore, police, firefighters and the Coast Guard searched for Childers, WCBD-TV in Charleston reported. His body was recovered about 90 minutes later.
WCBD-TV reported that Childers, 38, lived in Dallas with his family, but they were vacationing on Pawleys Island. The island's police chief, Michael Fanning, said he believes Childers' 'first responder instincts kicked in' when he saw the family in distress.
A rip current is a fast-moving column of water that flows away from the shore toward open water. Officials say swimmers caught in one should remain calm and then swim parallel to the shore to escape the current.
Childers grew up in Georgia 's Cobb County, which is northeast of Atlanta, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Childers helped lead the North Cobb Christian School to a state baseball championship in 2003 and continued his baseball career at Georgia State University.
Childers signed with the Baltimore Orioles in 2009 and played two seasons in the minor leagues for teams in Florida and West Virginia, according to MLB.com.
Childers served as a police officer in Cobb County from 2011 to 2014, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. WCBD-TV reported that he received the Cobb County Police Department Life Saving award in 2012, while the GoFundMe page said he had saved several lives.
'Most importantly, he was a loving son, a dedicated brother, a treasured friend, an exceptional father to his three wonderful children, and the husband of his beautiful wife, Nataley, who had been his soulmate and best friend since they were teenagers,' the GoFundMe page stated.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Former Fox Sports analyst sticks the boot in on Joy Taylor after she was fired months after sex lawsuit
Former Fox Sports analyst sticks the boot in on Joy Taylor after she was fired months after sex lawsuit

Daily Mail​

time7 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Former Fox Sports analyst sticks the boot in on Joy Taylor after she was fired months after sex lawsuit

Joy Taylor's split from Fox Sports was inevitable, former network colleague Cris Carter has claimed. Earlier this month, Fox Sports reportedly slashed its weekday lineup with a trio of shows axed, including 'Speak' which was hosted by Taylor. The former sports host had worked on a number of different shows in her nine-year stint with Fox, yet the company has decided not to renew her expiring contract this summer - just months after she found herself embroiled in a bombshell sex lawsuit. The network shortly announced a new deal with Barstool Sports and founder Dave Portnoy, while Kay Adams was rumored to be a leading contender to fill the void left at Fox. And Carter suggested that FS1 had already made the decision months ago to oust Taylor from her hosting duties. The podcast host believed the network had reached the decision to move on in the aftermath of the lawsuit brought by former FS1 hairstylist Noushin Faraji, who listed Taylor as a defendant as well as top programming executive Charlie Dixon and Skip Bayless. 'Fox had no choice but to fire her,' Carter recently claimed on his podcast, 'Fully Loaded'. 'Anytime you have those rumors as far as someone as far as talent that has a relationship with an executive, which they were rumored to, her and Charlie Dixon who created all those shows. So, in their investigation, they gave Charlie time off, then eventually, they end up firing Charlie, which in turn, they tell you there's some fire there in the woodpile. 'And they're in a situation with Joy, with the lawsuit they really can't do anything with her on the air until her contract runs out. Then they either give you a s****y offer or they give you no offer. You're out. And they had to burn down everything that Charlie had created.' Taylor was accused of using sexual relationships with colleagues, including Dixon and former co-host Emmanuel Acho, to further her career in the lawsuit filed by the ex-employee. The 38-year-old was also alleged to have told Faraji to 'get over it' when she confided in her about claims she was sexually assaulted by Dixon. Taylor has denied all allegations. In addition to 'Speak,' Fox has reportedly decided to cancel two of its morning programs, 'Breakfast Ball' and 'The Facility'. All three shows, which were overseen by Dixon, are said to have struggled to find a huge audience, bring them to an abrupt end. Fox fired Dixon in April, while Acho was a casualty of the recent axing with his show, 'The Facility', which only debuted last September, also slashed. However, Carter believes that the network had no choice but to axe the slate of shows due to their connection to the lawsuit. 'They had to tear all those shows down,' Carter continued of FS1 cutting three shows from their lineup. 'Because of not only the rumors, but the stuff they found out in the investigation. That thing was ugly…Had to happen.' Carter had his own unceremonious exit from the network in 2019 following two years of co-hosting 'First Things First' alongside Nick Wright. The split came after the Hall-of-Fame wide receiver was upset he hadn't been offered a role on Fox's 'Thursday Night Football.' The former Minnesota Vikings star has since gone on to host his own podcast and believed Taylor will also have plenty of opportunities to bounce back. 'She has a wealth of information, a wealth of experience and she can talk the game,' Carter said of Taylor. 'And she got a good rolodex.'

Harrowing details emerge after ex-baseball pitcher arrested on second-degree murder charge
Harrowing details emerge after ex-baseball pitcher arrested on second-degree murder charge

Daily Mail​

time7 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Harrowing details emerge after ex-baseball pitcher arrested on second-degree murder charge

New details have emerged in the stunning saga of a former baseball pitcher who has been charged with murdering a man who was performing a service on his home. Brian Grant, age 40, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the death of 61-year-old Randy Stewart. He is being held without bond. Stewart was found dead in a North Carolina home and later identified Grant as the homeowner. A district attorney's office representative said the home was Grant's second residence and that he'd been staying there for a few days. This claim was disputed by Grant's attorney, who said he'd just arrived. Officers were called to the residence just before 6:20pm on Wednesday after multiple neighbors called 911 to report two distinct rounds of gunfire. One neighbor claimed they saw Grant fleeing the scene. Stewart came to the home in his work van - alongside his wife and two dogs, as he planned to go fishing after completing his work. The home in question had a keypad lock and it was secured when law enforcement arrived. Brian Grant — 2002 Medicine Hat BlueJays — Cardlover82 (@cardlover82) July 24, 2025 A representative for the DA's office says Grant told law enforcement that Stewart was threatening him with a knife and mentioned a Navy Seal inside the home. Grant's attorney says that his client cooperated with law enforcement throughout the incident, but was never questioned by police before being detained. The former MLB draft pick's attorney does maintain that the incident was an act of self-defense. The maximum sentence for second-degree murder in North Carolina is life in prison with no possibility of parole. Grant was selected in the seventh round of the 2002 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. However, he failed to ever take to the mound in the majors leagues, instead settling for five seasons in the minors. He pitched for two of the Blue Jays' farm system teams - the Medicine Hat Blue Jays and the Pulaski Blue Jays. He also had a stint with the Auburn Doubledays, a former Short Season A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Grant registered a 4.72 ERA in 169.2 innings over the course of his career.

Royal Caribbean crew member dies after falling off mega-ship as it sailed through the Bahamas
Royal Caribbean crew member dies after falling off mega-ship as it sailed through the Bahamas

Daily Mail​

time35 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Royal Caribbean crew member dies after falling off mega-ship as it sailed through the Bahamas

A Royal Caribbean crew member died after falling off the cruise ship as it was sailing through the Bahamas. The unidentified man jumped off the boat around 7pm on Thursday, causing an Oscar alarm to sound throughout the Icon of the Seas ship. An Oscar alarm is used when someone has gone overboard. The crew member was recovered roughly 30 minutes later, but was pronounced dead. 'Unfortunately, the crew member passed away,' the cruise line confirmed in a statement to Cruise Hive, which first reported on the story. 'We extend our condolences to the crew member's family and loved ones. To respect their privacy, we have no additional details to share.' Daily Mail has reached out to Royal Caribbean and the Royal Bahamian Police Force for comment. Rescue efforts were deployed immediately and crew members were able to locate the man's body. A rescue team was seen working on the man on the dingy before he was pronounced dead. This is a breaking story, please check back for updates.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store