A Florida mom died after she jumped into a river attempting to save her son, 4, who fell into the water, authorities said.
Nicole Grayson, 43, of DeLand was at the St. Johns River about 4 p.m. July 18 when her son dropped something into the water. He was trying to retrieve the item when he fell in the water, and Grayson jumped in to rescue him, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.
A boater threw two life preservers to Grayson and her son, but Grayson became submerged as she struggled to hold her son above water. The boater was able to pull the child onto the boat unharmed.
Another witness helped lift Grayson out of the water, onto the boat. Bystanders performed CPR until medics arrived.
Grayson was transported to a hospital where she died that night.
“Sheriff Chitwood and the entire Volusia Sheriff’s Office send sincere thanks all who jumped in to help with the rescue, and deepest condolences to Ms. Grayson’s family and friends for their loss of a mother who gave her life to save her son.
Who was the Florida mom of 6 who drowned saving her son?
Grayson’s oldest child, Montraevia Adams, described her “incredible mother” as someone who loved her children unconditionally and would do anything for them, according to a GoFundMe account.
“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,” Adams wrote.
Money raised from the GoFundMe account will be used for funeral costs and to help Grayson’s children.
Michelle Spitzer is a journalist for The USA TODAY NETWORK-FLORIDA. As the network’s Rapid Response reporter, she covers Florida’s breaking news. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://floridatoday.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Mom dies saving son, 4, from Florida river
