On March 8, 2025, Navy veteran Lonnie Hancock, 43, tragically drowned while rescuing a 13-year-old boy from the Wateree River near Ridgeway, South Carolina. The boy had slipped on rocks and fallen into the river while fishing with his family.
Hancock, celebrating his birthday that day, immediately jumped into the river upon witnessing the incident. He was joined by 21-year-old family friend Valentin Quiroz, the boy's father, an off-duty police officer, and an active-duty Army soldier. While the boy was successfully rescued, both Hancock and Quiroz drowned during the heroic effort.
Kershaw County Sheriff Lee Boan praised the men's bravery, stating, "These men didn't hesitate. They saw someone in trouble and they jumped in. That's what heroes do."
Hancock, a father of four, had retired from the U.S. Navy in 2020 after 20 years of service. A GoFundMe page has been established to support his surviving wife, Jessica Yarber, and their children.
Funeral arrangements for both Hancock and Quiroz are currently being finalized.
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