Latest news with #ChaseChilders
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Former baseball player dies saving family from drowning in South Carolina
A family in Dallas, Georgia, is grieving after their patriarch – a former pro baseball player turned police officer – died saving five others from drowning while they all recently vacationed, as authorities and an online page in his honor tell it. Chase Childers, 38, 'displayed extraordinary courage and selflessness … ultimately paying the highest sacrifice with his life' in front of his wife Nataley and their three children, said a GoFundMe page launched to support his family. 'His bravery, kindness and love will always be remembered.' Childers – a former member of Major League Baseball's Baltimore Orioles – had gone with Nataley and their children from their home in Georgia to Pawleys Island, South Carolina, on vacation, as the news station WCBD from nearby Charleston reported. He noticed another family of about five in distress while swimming amid a rip current near the island on 13 July, and he leapt into action by heading into the water with another person to help get them out, Pawleys Island police said in a statement. The family and the man accompanying Childers made it back to the shore. But Childers did not emerge, prompting police, firefighters and the US coast guard to search for him. Crews then found Childers dead and recovered his body about 90 minutes later, Pawleys Island police said. A statement on the GoFundMe page for Childers' family said he gave 'everything he had to save' the family caught up in the rip current, which is a fast-moving column of water flowing away from the shore. Officials urge swimmers caught in rip currents to swim calmly in parallel to the shore. 'Tragically,' the GoFundMe page said of Childers, 'he was unable to stay above water.' Childers had grown up north-east of Atlanta, winning a state baseball championship in 2003, according to the city's Journal-Constitution newspaper. He later played for Georgia State University's baseball team, signed with the Orioles after turning pro and logged two seasons in the minor leagues with clubs in Florida and West Virginia. After his playing career ended, Childers served as a police officer in Cobb county, Georgia, for three years beginning in 2011, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Cobb county's police force awarded Childers a life saving award in 2012. And the GoFundMe page started for Childers' family after his death noted that he had been honored 'for saving several lives'. Pawleys Island police chief Michael Fanning told WCBD that he believed Childers' 'first responder instincts' simply 'kicked in' on the day he died trying to save a family in trouble. The GoFundMe page for Childers' family had raised more than $160,000 as of Friday. It called him 'a loving son, a dedicated brother, a treasured friend, an exceptional father to his three wonderful children, and the husband of his beautiful wife, … who had been his soulmate and best friend since they were teenagers'. 'Words are hard to find at this moment as … his wife and three children attempt to navigate life without Chase,' the page added. The Associated Press contributed reporting
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former pro baseball player drowns in rip current while trying to save others
A former minor league baseball player and father drowned after getting caught in a rip current while trying to save a family in the water in South Carolina, according to police and a fundraiser for his family. Chase Childers, 38, went into the water off Pawleys Island, a barrier island in South Carolina, with another person the afternoon of July 13 to help four or five people who were in distress in the water, according to the Pawleys Island Police Department. Police responded to a report at about 4:45 p.m. and learned one person was missing in the water. Childers was recovered at about 6:15 p.m., police said. "He died trying to save others," the police department said. Childers was signed with the Baltimore Orioles in 2009 and played at the rookie level for teams affiliated with the Orioles in 2009 and 2010, according to the MLB. He also served as a police officer in Cobb County, Georgia, according to a fundraiser for his family verified by GoFundMe. "In a heroic act, he saved a family of five in a moment of crisis in Pawleys Island on Sunday afternoon, putting their lives above his own," the fundraiser said. "Tragically, after giving everything he had to save them, he was unable to stay above water as the rip tide swept him away, ultimately paying the highest sacrifice with his life in front of his three children and wife." Childers was survived by his wife Nataley and three children, according to the fundraiser. More: Graphics show how rip currents endanger swimmers Rip currents, fast-moving channels of water that flow away from the shore, can drag a swimmer way out into the ocean and exhaust them trying to fight their way out. At least three dozen other people have died so far in 2025 in surf zone-related incidents, with the majority caught by rip currents, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Since 2010, more than 800 people have died in rip current drownings. Thousands of people are estimated to be rescued from rip currents annually. Pawleys Island Mayor Brian Henry said in a social media post that the town urges caution to swimmers entering the water and that the town council will investigate ways to prevent future tragedies. "The Town is saddened by the report of the drowning over the weekend. We pray for the family members and offer our condolences," Henry said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chase Childers, former baseball player, drowns trying to save swimmers Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Rip currents kill dozens every year. What to do if you get caught in one
Forecasters have warned that a former tropical disturbance making its way inland is making Gulf Coast beaches prime for rip currents, a deadly ocean danger that kills dozens every year in the United States. Rip currents are the deadliest of surf-zone dangers, making up the majority of deaths among beach swimmers every year, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Since 2010, more than 800 people have died in rip current drownings. So far in 2025, more than three dozen people have died form surf-zone hazards, most of which happened in rip currents, according to the data. Through mid-June, 21 people have died after being caught in rip currents. Most recently, 38-year-old former professional baseball player and father of three Chase Childers died in a rip current on July 13 while trying to rescue a family struggling in the water in South Carolina, authorities said. Earlier this year in April, a 17-year-old boy died after being caught in a rip current at Lake Worth Beach in Palm Beach County, Florida. A South Florida dad, Antwon Wilson, was recognized as a hero after he drowned on Father's Day while saving his daughter from a rip current, CBS News reported. Earlier this month on the Fourth of July, a North Carolina man visiting a South Carolina beach drowned after he and his 4-year-old son were dragged away by a rip current; the child was rescued, local station WIS 10 reported. Is it safe to swim?: National Hurricane Center to publish rip current forecast map. During the summer of 2024, four people died within a 48 hour span off of Panama City, Florida, one of the deadliest beaches in the U.S. due to rip currents. In 2023, Panama City rip currents claimed more lives than any other location in the country, according to National Weather Service data. What is a rip current? A rip current is a fast-moving channel of water that flows away from the shore and can drag a swimmer way out into the ocean. The narrow, strong currents flow quickly and perpendicular to the coastline. They typically form at breaks in sandbars or near structures such as jetties or piers, according to the NOAA. They are found at all surf beaches, including beaches at the Great Lakes. Their speeds can vary from moment to moment, and can sweep even the strongest swimmer away from shore. Average speeds are between 1 and 2 feet per second, but they've been recorded as fast as 8 feet per second. That's faster than an Olympic swimmer. Most people who drown in surf hazards, including rip currents, are boys and men between the ages of 10 and 29, data shows. The deaths are most common in June and July. Last year, 66 people were killed by rip currents in the U.S. and its territories, the data shows. At least 19 of those deaths happened on Florida beaches. What to do if you get caught in a rip current Rip currents are so dangerous because they can catch a swimmer off guard and cause them to panic while trying to swim to shore. The exertion causes fatigue before they are able to break free from the current, which continues to pull them out, experts say. Officials say you should always check weather and water conditions before entering the ocean and always try to swim near a lifeguard. If you do end up caught in a rip current, try to remain calm. The current won't pull you under, it will just pull you away from the shore. Don't swim against the current, because you'll risk tiring yourself out; instead, swim parallel to the shore and then swim back to land at an angle once you're free of the rip current. How can you safely help someone else caught in a rip current? Each year, stories of people acting heroically to rescue others from the water turn tragic when the rescuers end up caught in the rip currents and drown. Childers, the former baseball player who drowned over the weekend in South Carolina, "died trying to save others," police said. If you see someone else struggling in a rip current, you should try to get help from a lifeguard, according to the NOAA's Rip Current Survival Guide. You can also throw something that floats to the person who needs help while you find a lifeguard. However, the American Lifeguard Association warns that the U.S. is experiencing an ongoing lifeguard shortage, leaving beaches unstaffed or understaffed. If there is no lifeguard present and you see someone caught in a rip current, call 911. Try to direct the person to swim parallel to the shoreline to escape the current. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rip currents are deadly. What if you get caught in one? Solve the daily Crossword
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Former baseball player dies saving family from drowning in South Carolina
A family in Dallas is grieving after their patriarch – a former pro baseball player turned police officer – died saving five others from drowning while they all recently vacationed, as authorities and an online page in his honor tell it. Chase Childers, 38, 'displayed extraordinary courage and selflessness … ultimately paying the highest sacrifice with his life' in front of his wife Nataley and their three children, said a GoFundMe page launched to support his family. 'His bravery, kindness and love will always be remembered.' Childers – a former member of Major League Baseball's Baltimore Orioles – had gone with Nataley and their children from their home in Dallas to Pawleys Island, South Carolina, on vacation, as the news station WCBD from nearby Charleston reported. He noticed another family of about five in distress while swimming amid a rip current near the island on 13 July, and he leapt into action by heading into the water with another person to help get them out, Pawleys Island police said in a statement. The family and the man accompanying Childers made it back to the shore. But Childers did not emerge, prompting police, firefighters and the US coast guard to search for him. Crews then found Childers dead and recovered his body about 90 minutes later, Pawleys Island police said. A statement on the GoFundMe page for Childers' family said he gave 'everything he had to save' the family caught up in the rip current, which is a fast-moving column of water flowing away from the shore. Officials urge swimmers caught in rip currents to swim calmly in parallel to the shore. 'Tragically,' the GoFundMe page said of Childers, 'he was unable to stay above water.' Childers had grown up in Georgia, north-east of Atlanta, winning a state baseball championship in 2003, according to the city's Journal-Constitution newspaper. He later played for Georgia State University's baseball team, signed with the Orioles after turning pro and logged two seasons in the minor leagues with clubs in Florida and West Virginia. After his playing career ended, Childers served as a police officer in Cobb county, Georgia, for three years beginning in 2011, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Cobb county's police force awarded Childers a life saving award in 2012. And the GoFundMe page started for Childers' family after his death noted that he had been honored 'for saving several lives'. Pawleys Island police chief Michael Fanning told WCBD that he believed Childers' 'first responder instincts' simply 'kicked in' on the day he died trying to save a family in trouble. The GoFundMe page for Childers' family had raised more than $160,000 as of Friday. It called him 'a loving son, a dedicated brother, a treasured friend, an exceptional father to his three wonderful children, and the husband of his beautiful wife, … who had been his soulmate and best friend since they were teenagers'. 'Words are hard to find at this moment as … his wife and three children attempt to navigate life without Chase,' the page added. The Associated Press contributed reporting
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Rip currents kill dozens every year. What to do if you get caught in one
Forecasters have warned that a former tropical disturbance making its way inland is making Gulf Coast beaches prime for rip currents, a deadly ocean danger that kills dozens every year in the United States. Rip currents are the deadliest of surf-zone dangers, making up the majority of deaths among beach swimmers every year, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Since 2010, more than 800 people have died in rip current drownings. So far in 2025, more than three dozen people have died form surf-zone hazards, most of which happened in rip currents, according to the data. Through mid-June, 21 people have died after being caught in rip currents. Most recently, 38-year-old former professional baseball player and father of three Chase Childers died in a rip current on July 13 while trying to rescue a family struggling in the water in South Carolina, authorities said. Earlier this year in April, a 17-year-old boy died after being caught in a rip current at Lake Worth Beach in Palm Beach County, Florida. A South Florida dad, Antwon Wilson, was recognized as a hero after he drowned on Father's Day while saving his daughter from a rip current, CBS News reported. Earlier this month on the Fourth of July, a North Carolina man visiting a South Carolina beach drowned after he and his 4-year-old son were dragged away by a rip current; the child was rescued, local station WIS 10 reported. Is it safe to swim?: National Hurricane Center to publish rip current forecast map. During the summer of 2024, four people died within a 48 hour span off of Panama City, Florida, one of the deadliest beaches in the U.S. due to rip currents. In 2023, Panama City rip currents claimed more lives than any other location in the country, according to National Weather Service data. What is a rip current? A rip current is a fast-moving channel of water that flows away from the shore and can drag a swimmer way out into the ocean. The narrow, strong currents flow quickly and perpendicular to the coastline. They typically form at breaks in sandbars or near structures such as jetties or piers, according to the NOAA. They are found at all surf beaches, including beaches at the Great Lakes. Their speeds can vary from moment to moment, and can sweep even the strongest swimmer away from shore. Average speeds are between 1 and 2 feet per second, but they've been recorded as fast as 8 feet per second. That's faster than an Olympic swimmer. Most people who drown in surf hazards, including rip currents, are boys and men between the ages of 10 and 29, data shows. The deaths are most common in June and July. Last year, 66 people were killed by rip currents in the U.S. and its territories, the data shows. At least 19 of those deaths happened on Florida beaches. What to do if you get caught in a rip current Rip currents are so dangerous because they can catch a swimmer off guard and cause them to panic while trying to swim to shore. The exertion causes fatigue before they are able to break free from the current, which continues to pull them out, experts say. Officials say you should always check weather and water conditions before entering the ocean and always try to swim near a lifeguard. If you do end up caught in a rip current, try to remain calm. The current won't pull you under, it will just pull you away from the shore. Don't swim against the current, because you'll risk tiring yourself out; instead, swim parallel to the shore and then swim back to land at an angle once you're free of the rip current. How can you safely help someone else caught in a rip current? Each year, stories of people acting heroically to rescue others from the water turn tragic when the rescuers end up caught in the rip currents and drown. Childers, the former baseball player who drowned over the weekend in South Carolina, "died trying to save others," police said. If you see someone else struggling in a rip current, you should try to get help from a lifeguard, according to the NOAA's Rip Current Survival Guide. You can also throw something that floats to the person who needs help while you find a lifeguard. However, the American Lifeguard Association warns that the U.S. is experiencing an ongoing lifeguard shortage, leaving beaches unstaffed or understaffed. If there is no lifeguard present and you see someone caught in a rip current, call 911. Try to direct the person to swim parallel to the shoreline to escape the current. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rip currents are deadly. What if you get caught in one?
