16-year-old Bryce Brooks from Atlanta was vacationing with his family in Pensacola when an imaginable tragedy took place.
Bryce and a group of friends “witnessed four other younger kids who they did not know being pulled by the current,” the teen’s father Shivy Brooks revealed.
Without hesitating, Bryce and two of his friends jumped into the water to save the drowning children while the rest of the friends rushed to alert the adults of the incident.
“Our son Bryce, while being pulled by currents himself literally called for help, but not for himself, he was calling for help for the little kids he was looking out for,” his father said, according to People.
Tragically, Bryce “was pulled under” while in the water, his father said. When family friend Charles Johnson II, affectionately called “Uncle Chuck,” jumped in to help Bryce, he was also pulled under, Shivy added.
“Our family is devastated,” he said. “Our community is devastated.”
Strangers pulled Bryce and Uncle Chuck from the water and the two were airlifted to the hospital, but sadly, nothing could be done. They were both pronounced dead.
The community honored the brave teen with a balloon release at Maynard Jackson High School.
“We’re never gonna get to see Bryce grow up to be the full man that he was going to be,” Bryce’s mother Crystal Brooks told Fox 5. “But, we know that he stepped into his manhood to save these children, and that makes me proud. It doesn’t take away an ounce of pain, but it makes me proud of our son.”
According to the family, Bryce was an honor roll student who loved to make music and was a member of his school’s fashion club. He always took care of his younger brother.
The family appeared in the Netflix show “Instant Dream Home” which secretly renovated their Atlanta home.
“Get Your Teach On” set up a fundraiser for the family, which has raised upwards of $78,000.
“Bryce’s actions helped to save several lives. We can not even begin to understand the unimaginable impact this has had on their family, friends, and loved ones but know the power of this community,” organizers wrote, according to People.
Following Bryce’s tragic passing, the family set up the Bryce Brooks Foundation, a charity “dedicated to fostering water safety and drowning prevention. Our mission is to provide free swimming lessons for adults and children and empower teens through scholarships for lifeguard certification.”
The foundation has now awarded its first six scholarships to help with college expenses, with Uncle Chuck’s son among the recipients.
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