Off-duty officer dies in an attempt to save three girls from drowning

A year has passed since Sergeant Sivad Johnson, 46, lost his life in an attempt to save three girls from drowning, and we still remember and honor his heroic act.

It was late August of 2020 when this off-duty firefighter was taking a trip to Belle Isle with his 10-year-old daughter. At one moment, they noticed three girls struggling to stay afloat and signaling for help. Johnson and another man jumped into Detroit River and managed to rescue one of the girls. The other two were saved by a nearby boat.

Crowd gathered around the girls to make sure they were okay, but then, Johnson’s daughter noticed her father wasn’t there. In all the chaos, he went missing.

A search was initiated right away. Many people were involved in searching for Johnson, and that included officers, firefighters, and divers. Everyone was praying for a positive outcome. Unfortunately, Michigan state police later confirmed that Johnson drowned.

As reported by The New York Times, Johnson was part of the Detroit Fire Department for over 26 years.

He was a family man loved by many. “His friends, his colleagues, the people who worked for him said he was a mentor, he was a teacher. Many said he made their careers,” Deputy fire commissioner Dave Fornell said.

A huge number of firefighters gathered to salute their brave co-worker as his body was brought to Detroit Receiving Hospital.

“I would say there was not a dry eye in the house,” he said. “I’ve never seen as many firefighters as emotional as this. He was almost bigger than life. He just moved a lot of people.”

One of Johnson’s friends started a GoFundMe page to help the family during the time of grief. The void Johnson left in everyone’s heart is huge and the pain is immense, and their only consolation is that he died a hero. May he rest in peace!

Monica Pop
Monica Pop
Monica Pop is a senior writer for Bored Daddy magazine covering the latest trending and popular articles across the United States and around the world.

More from author

Related posts

Latest posts

The Case That Stirred Wakefield: Loss, Accountability, and Lessons Learned

Beneath the Quiet Streets of Wakefield: The Tragedy Behind Liam Deane’s Story In a quiet corner of Wakefield, whispers stirred—questions about Liam Deane that no...

Air Disaster Strikes as Plane with Over 240 Onboard Goes Down

Global Shock as Passenger Jet with Over 244 Aboard Crashes Under Mysterious Circumstances. The world is reeling from breaking reports of a large-scale aviation...

Greta Thunberg’s brutal response to Donald Trump amid ‘anger management issues’ comment

President Donald Trump and Swedish activist Greta Thunberg come from very different perspectives. While Greta is best known as a climate change activist, Trump...

Pick your wing to reveal who your guardian angel is

Sometimes, you may feel the presence of an invisible guide that offers protection and remind you you are not alone. That comforting presence could...

Doctor issues warning about eating too much rice

Rice is a great source of gut-friendly fiber, complex carbohydrates, and B vitamins. The fiber in brown and wild rice supports digestive health by...

A wealthy CEO in Mexico found a staff member skipping meals to breastfeed her baby — the shocking truth behind it shocked everyone

While the entire city slept, Jyoti, a thirty-four year old mother, kept working tirelessly. She spent every night mopping floors, carrying heavy buckets, and...