While vacationing at a Florida beach, a 16-year-old boy from Atlanta dove into the water after seeing a group of young kids struggling to keep their heads above water. Bryce Brooks was on a trip to Pensacola when the situation happened.
At a news conference, his father, Shivy Brooks, explained that Bryce and his friends noticed four young kids being pulled by the current. Without hesitation, Bryce and two other friends jumped in to help.
Their other friends ran to find adults who could help them rescue the children. At the time, Bryce yelled for help while being pulled by the currents.
Their vacation occurred during spring break, and just a week prior, the late teenager made the honor roll.
His Parents are Proud of Their Young Man
His dad clarified that Bryce wasn’t asking for help for himself but for the kids that he wanted to save. At the time, no lifeguards were in the area, and the flags on the beach were yellow, which meant there were moderate currents in the water.
Shortly after, a family friend of Bryce’s named Charles Johnson II, known to them as “Uncle Chuck,” dove in to save him. He was a strong swimmer, but he was no match for the currents at the time.
Both Bryce and Uncle Chuck were pulled underwater. Bryce’s family is devastated by the loss of their sweet son.
To them, however, their boy was a hero. They are comforted by the fact that he died so selflessly and without regrets, with his mom saying:
“We’re never going to get to see Bryce grow up and be the full man that he was going to be. But we know that he stepped into his manhood to save these children. That makes me proud.”
Bryce’s dad agreed. “Bryce is a hero. He literally saved the lives of four kids at the expense of his own,” he said.
Bryce’s family remembers him as a creative person who loved music and fashion. Their vacation occurred during spring break, and just a week prior, the late teenager made the honor roll.
Celebrating Bryce’s Life
Since the heartbreaking incident, many people have asked how they could help the grieving family. The non-profit Get Your Teach On organized a GoFundMe page for Bryce to be used for funeral expenses and jumpstart the Bryce Brooks Foundation.
The foundation aims to provide children with swimming lessons, CPR training, and other courses to help them save lives. They hope that teaching the youth these important things will prevent unwarranted incidents from happening again.In just a short time, the fundraiser exceeded its goal after over 2,300 donations poured in. They’ve earned $109,647, and counting, which is a great deal more than the original $75,000 goal.
Aside from his parents, Bryce left behind a 6-year-old brother named Christian. He wasn’t with the family at the time of the incident and only learned of his brother’s passing when he reunited with his parents and grandparents.
People on the internet praised Bryce and Uncle Chuck for their bravery. They noted the pair’s selflessness and how they’ve made a mark not only on the kids they saved and their families but also on the whole world.