Latest news with #heroicact
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Heroic teen girl's brave final act before drowning in West Virginia river... as cops make two arrests
A brave teenage girl got swept away by a current and drowned while trying to save her cousin's son in a West Virginia river. Reese Hanshaw, 13, of Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, tragically lost her life on June 30 when she, a group of children, and two adults, Ashley Shelton, 29 and Joshua Lockerbie, 34, took a trip to the Ohio River. Shelton and Lockerbie, of Weirton, drove six children, aged four to 13-year-old, to the river in We to swim that day when a strong current took over Hanshaw around 7pm. Hanshaw desperately tried to save the little boy near the Veterans Memorial Bridge. Heavy rainfall throughout the day made the water level higher than normal, sparking dangerous conditions, the Weirton Police Department said. Officers rushed to the scene within minutes, as one cop swam out to save Hanshaw and performed life-saving measures on her. She was then taken to the hospital where she died, Weirton Police Chief Charlie Kush said. Following her sudden death, the teen's aunt revealed her final heroic act just before she drowned. 'While enjoying a summer day with her cousins, Reese heroically gave her life saving her cousin's little boy, who was swept away by a sudden rip current,' Becky Watlet, Hanshaw's mother's sister, said on Facebook. Shelton and Lockerbie, who are in a relationship, were arrested Wednesday and charged with six felonies. It is unclear what their relationship was to Hanshaw or the other children. Police said they chose to bring several children to the river despite high water levels. Investigators also noted no flotation devices were present. The couple were also aware that none of the children were strong swimmers, police said. They are both charged with child neglect resulting in death and child neglect with risk of death or injury, according to arrest records obtained by Daily Mail. Shelton and Lockerbie are being held at the Northern Regional Jail in Moundsville on a $150,000 bail each, per records. Although boats are common in the river, people don't often swim or go fishing in the water, especially in hazardous conditions, Kush told CBS News. 'You have to be responsible, you have to know the limitations of the people that you're with if you are letting juveniles do these types of things,' he explained. The police chief added that 'it was just unusual' for people to go down to that river to swim in the bad weather. Hanshaw has been remembered as a 'bright and creative spirit' who had just finished the eighth grade, her obituary read. The rising high school freshman was also 'a proud member of the Turtle Club' and was known for her 'deep love for animals.' 'A talented and imaginative soul, she enjoyed drawing, crafting, creating videos, and editing,' the page read. Watlet called her late niece a 'shining light' who was also 'kind, courageous, and full of love. 'Her selflessness and bravery will forever be remembered by all who knew her,' she continued. She went on to ask the public to help raise money for her sister and brother-in-law during this difficult time. A GoFundMe page was created by her other aunt Heather Durbin to help raise money, and as of Sunday afternoon, more than $10,500 was collected. 'We are so grateful for any support, kindness, and love you can share as we honor Reese's memory,' Watlet wrote. Several of Hanshaw's classmates posted heartfelt messages about her following her death. 'Reese, I always sat with you the few days we had left of school,' one wrote. 'We weren't close but you were always kind and I remember you giving me candy all the time and starting conversations with me when I had nobody to talk to on the bus.' Another said: 'The last remaining years of school won't be the same without. Not seeing you in the hallways will be a big change because you made everyone laugh in the hallways. Rest in peace Reese…' A funeral was held for Hanshaw on Tuesday in her hometown. This is not Lockerbie's first run-in with the law, as he was previously arrested for speeding, driving under suspension, simple assault, and theft, among other offenses, according to public records.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Father drowns after saving 5 people from rip current
A Georgia father drowned after saving five people from a rip current at a beach in South Carolina, according to the Pawleys Island Police Department. At approximately 4:45 p.m. on Sunday, police received a call for "multiple swimmers in distress" in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and once on the scene, they discovered one person was missing and a "search was initiated." Then at approximately 6:15 p.m., the body of the missing person was found and identified as 38-year-old Chase Childers, officials said. Officials later found out that Childers -- a former professional baseball player for the Baltimore Orioles' minor league team and police officer -- and one other individual entered the water to help a family of five, with Childers getting "caught in the rip current." MORE: Boys hailed as heroes for saving 7-year-old drowning in pool "He died trying to save others," police said. Childers' family said in a statement that they are "devastated by the tragic loss of our beloved Chase Childers" and that the news feels "surreal, incredibly hard to grasp and profoundly unfair." His family described his death as a "heroic act," where he paid the "highest sacrifice with his life in front of his three children and wife." "Word are hard to find at the moment," the family said in a statement shared on social media. Childers leaves behind three children and his wife, the family said. He would have turned 39 next month, his brother-in-law confirmed to ABC News.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Yahoo
Michigan deacon who thwarted gunman with his truck gifted replacement F-150
A Michigan deacon who used his pickup truck to stop an armed gunman outside a church last month received a new Ford F-150 from a local dealership on Thursday. Deacon Richard Pryor was presented with the vehicle at a Ford dealership in Wayne, Michigan, replacing the truck he used to help prevent what police called a potential "large-scale mass shooting" at CrossPointe Community Church on June 22. "I'm nervous but excited," Pryor said during a press conference at the dealership. "I'm just so thankful for everybody's support, for everyone who reached out after the events that Sunday. Everything that transpired afterwards was unexpected, but I'm very grateful." MORE: 'You are your own first responder': Michigan Church security guard details confronting gunman The incident occurred when Robert Browning, 31, approached the church wearing a tactical vest and armed with multiple weapons, according to police. As Browning began firing outside the building, Pyror, who was running late to the service, struck him with his F-150, despite taking multiple shots to his vehicle, officials said. The gunman was fatally shot by Jay Trombley, a church security team member, authorities said. When asked about his quick thinking during the incident, Pryor described the intense moments leading up to his decision to use his vehicle. "While I was on the phone with 911 relaying information, I realized there was no time," Pryor recalled. "I didn't have a weapon on me or in the truck, so what are your options? It just kind of happened. That's where the Lord comes in." Police Chief Ryan Strong praised Pryor and Trombley, saying they prevented what could have been a catastrophic situation. The suspect had no criminal history but appeared to be suffering from a mental health crisis, according to officials. One security guard sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the incident. Pastor Bobby Kelly Jr. described the series of events as "divine providence," noting that Pryor's late arrival and quick action were crucial in preventing tragedy.
Fox News
06-07-2025
- General
- Fox News
Camp Mystic director dies while trying to save kids during Texas flooding
The camp director and co-owner of Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, died in the catastrophic flooding as he reportedly raced to save the lives of his young campers. Dick Eastland, who purchased the camp in 1974, died after the wall of water crashed through the Christian summer camp, which is located along the banks of the Guadalupe River, Texas Public Radio reported. The report cited a Facebook post from Eastland's nephew, though the post has since been taken down. Counselors, former campers and politicians who knew Eastland praised him for his heroic actions and ultimate sacrifice to save his campers. "Camp Mystic's Dick Eastland no doubt gave his life attempting to save his campers," Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, wrote on X. "For decades he and his wife Tweety poured his life into loving and developing girls and women of character. Thank you Mr. Eastland. We love you and miss you." Pfluger said two of his daughters were at the camp when it was evacuated during the flooding, and they have since been reunited. Paige Sumner, a former camper and friend of Eastland, wrote in Kerrville Daily Times that Eastland "was the father figure to all of us" during summers at the camp. "It doesn't surprise me at all that his last act of kindness and sacrifice was working to save the lives of campers," Sumner wrote. "He had already saved so many lives with the gift of Camp Mystic." Kathatine Somerville, a camp counselor at Camp Mystic's Cypress Lake location, told "Fox News Live" on Sunday that the camp director was among the "most selfless men in the whole world." "He was an inspiration to so, so many," she said. "He was a father figure, a comforting force in the uncertainty of everything. He guided us in our faith and our activities. He always told us to make new friends and to share our love with everyone." There were 750 attendees at the camp when the catastrophic flood happened. Over a dozen campers were confirmed dead as of Sunday afternoon, Kerr County officials said. One counselor and 11 campers remained unaccounted for. The death toll across Central Texas climbed to nearly 70 on Sunday. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told reporters during a news conference Sunday morning that of the 59 confirmed dead, there were 38 adults and 21 children. Authorities have reported four deaths in Travis County, three in Burnet and one in Kendall.
The Independent
02-07-2025
- The Independent
Florida police smash through glass to rescue woman from car inferno
This is the nail-biting moment Florida police smashed through glass to save a woman trapped in a burning car. The Tampa Police Department responded to reports of a car on fire and flipped on its side on Sunday afternoon (29 June). Bodycam footage shows officers running to the car as smoke and flames rose from the vehicle. The officers can be seen using their batons to smash the windshield and using their bare hands to peel the glass back, before safely pulling the unnamed woman from the car as the fire spreads. The police department said the woman and two of the officers suffered only minor injuries.
