Nationwide — Nicole Grayson, a 43-year-old African American mother of six from Jacksonville, Florida, died after jumping into the St. Johns River to save her 4-year-old son. She was pulled from the water after the rescue attempt, but later died at a hospital.
Grayson was near the St. Johns River around 4 p.m. on July 18 when her young son dropped an item into the water. The child reportedly fell into the river while trying to retrieve it, and Grayson immediately jumped in to bring him back, according to Florida Today.
A nearby boater noticed the mother and son struggling and threw life preservers into the water to help them. The boater was able to pull the child onto the boat safely, but Grayson became submerged while trying to keep her son above the water.
Another person helped lift Grayson onto the boat, where bystanders began performing CPR. Emergency responders later arrived and rushed her to a hospital, but she died that night.
Grayson’s oldest daughter, Montraevia Adams, remembered her as a caring and selfless mother who always put her children first. Adams said, “We were truly blessed to have a mother who was caring, supportive, selfless, and always willing to sacrifice her time to make sure we had what we needed.”
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office shared condolences with Grayson’s loved ones and thanked the people who helped during the rescue effort.
A GoFundMe campaign was created to help cover funeral expenses and provide support for her 6 children after her death. It has so far raised over $33,000.