A Maynard H. Jackson High School student and a parent of two other students at the school died during spring break when the student drowned and the parent lost his life after trying to save the student, Atlanta Public Schools said.
The student, Bryce Brooks, 16, was vacationing Thursday with some other Atlanta families near Pensacola, Florida, his family said. He saw a group of younger children — separate from the group he was with — struggling to swim due to the undercurrent, according to family members.
All of the younger children survived, but no one could find Bryce, his family said. So, another parent, Charles Johnson, went in after him. Later, adults on the beach retrieved Bryce and Johnson, according to the family. Strangers tried to give Johnson CPR, they said. The two were airlifted to a hospital but didn’t survive. Bryce died from cardiac arrest, his family said.
Officials in Escambia County, where the incident occurred, said there were intense rip currents in the area over the weekend, according to a local news report.
Bryce’s mother, Crystal Brooks, says the fact that her son died trying to help others provides a small amount of comfort.
“It brings a light in such a dark space,” she said at a press conference Monday outside the high school. “We’re never going to get to see Bryce grow up to be the full man that he was born to be, 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.”
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com
Brooks described the high school junior as creative, musical, a good friend, and an honor roll student.
“Bryce had his hands in a little bit of everything,” she said. “He was so helpful, so smart and bright and headstrong but he knew what he wanted.”
The Brooks and Johnson families live in the same neighborhood and their children grew up together. Brooks said they’re grieving the loss of their dear friend, Johnson, in addition to their son.
“This is a major tragedy because the families are so close and have been so close for so long,” she said. “As much as we’re hurting, we’re hurting with them, for them. That’s our family.”
The family wants something good to come out of the sacrifice made by Bryce and Johnson. They would like to raise money so every kid in Atlanta gets free swim lessons. The family hopes to establish a scholarship for APS high schoolers to become certified lifeguards.
Mikki Harris’ ninth-grade son, Biko, played on a basketball team coached by Johnson. Harris said when Biko was in 7th grade, he wanted to become a better player but didn’t have the confidence in basketball that he did in other sports. He joined a year-round team Johnson coached, and Harris said that made the difference.
“When they [got] in the huddle when they finished playing, Chuck had them say, ‘Family first,’” said Harris, a former Atlanta Journal-Constitution photojournalist. “He would say to them, ‘I’m going to develop you as a player, but you have to develop each other as a team.’”
Harris considered moving her son to a different team this year but decided against it because of Johnson.
“I wanted Biko to have another year of playing with a coach that stood out in a different way, that was extremely positive, brought them together, that encouraged and motivated them in ways that you don’t see all coaches doing,” she said.
District 1 school board member and Jackson parent Katie Howard also praised the two for putting others ahead of themselves.
“Their acts of ultimate selflessness to help others, the example they set, and the impact they both had on our community will never be forgotten and they will forever be heroes,” she said in a statement.
A GoFundMe page posted by friends of the Brooks family is raising money to support them in the aftermath of Bryce’s death. Funeral plans for Bryce have not been disclosed yet. A funeral service for Charles Johnson will be held Saturday, April 15 at Ebenezer Baptist Church at 10 a.m.
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