Detroit, MI — Sgt. Sivad Johnson, a Detroit firefighter, is being called a hero for rescuing three young girls from drowning. Sadly though, he was found dead in the river the next day.
According to an investigation, 48-year old Johnson dived into Detroit River alongside many other people to rescue three girls from drowning. He was off duty at that time.
Rescue crews started searching after receiving a 911 call from Johnson’s 10-year old daughter who noticed that he did not return from saving the girls.
The girls were safe, but sadly not Johnson. His body was recovered and he was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly afterward. Authorities believed that Johnson may have been dragged underwater by a rip current.
Johnson, whose father and brother had also been a firefighter, had been with the fire department for over 20 years and was awarded the Detroit Fire Department Medal of Valor in 2017.
Moreover, Johnson is remembered in the community as a great father, firefighter, artist, and storyteller.
“Sivad touched me and touched every person who heard his story deeply. His message of making every day a good day is going to live on in all of us,” Patricia Wheeler, Michigan producer of the storytelling organization The Moth, told Detroit Free Press.