This 16-year-old boy is hailed a hero after he rescued four people when a car drove off a boat launch into a Mississippi river.
The accident occurred on a Sunday, around 2:30 am. The car, with three teen girls inside, drove into the Pascagoula River in Moss Point and drifted some 20 feet away from the shore, and began sinking.
The driver of the car later said she followed the GPS and didn’t realize she was heading for the water.
The 16-year-old boy, Corion Evans, heard the girls cry for help. He immediately ran over, took off his shoes and shirt, and went into the river.
Evans Said He Could Not Allow Any of the Girls to Die
Evans went in without hesitation because he didn’t want to let anyone die. He knew he had to get them out of the water.
The student from Pascagoula High School student said he was only thinking about rescuing them. He didn’t think of anything else. One of his friends also jumped into the water and assisted Evans in getting the girls to safety.
Evans was behind and tried to keep the girls above water.
They swam at the same time. Evans, his friend, and Gary Mercer, a police officer from Moss Point Police, saved the three girls and brought them to the shore.
However, at one point, while Mercer was helping one of the girls get to shore, she started panicking and he went under and swallowed some water. Evans was there and helped Mercer and the girl while they struggled in the water.
He turned around and saw the officer who was drowning, going under the water and screaming “Help!”
He went to him and grabbed him.
The Officer & the Three Tens Were Taken to the Hospital
The three teens and the officer were immediately taken to the hospital after the incident and all of them are doing well and recovering.
The chief of Moss Point Police, Brandon Ashley, in an official statement praised Evans’s bravery and selflessness he showed by risking his safety to help others in danger. If it weren’t for him, this accident could’ve ended tragically.
His Mom Is Glad Evans Is Safe & Is Beyond Proud of His Bravery
The city official also presented the boy with a commendation certificate for his heroism and assistance in the rescue of four individuals.
They also recognized Mercer for his bravery. Evans’s mom was relieved that it all went okay and she says she’s immensely proud of her boy.
She’s glad he stayed safe while helping save others’ lives. Evans said he’s been swimming since the age of three and didn’t hesitate for a second before entering the river.
Considering the twenty-five yards out, there was a lot of swimming and his legs were very tired afterwards.
Anything could’ve been in that water; however, at that moment, he wasn’t thinking about anything else, but only to rescue the people!
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