Navy Hero Dies on His Birthday Saving Boy He Never Met
On what should have been a day of celebration, a South Carolina father of four made a split-second decision that cost him his life — and saved another's. It was his 43rd birthday. And it would be his last.
A Tragic Day on Lake Wateree
The incident unfolded on March 9 at Lake Wateree in Kershaw County, South Carolina. A 13-year-old boy, enjoying a day of fishing with his family, slipped from the rocks and fell into the cold water, according to the Kershaw County Sheriff's Office.
The boy's father and family friend Valentin Quiroz, 21, jumped in immediately. Lonnie Hancock — a retired Navy veteran passing by with his own family — witnessed the commotion and leapt into the water to help. Hancock didn't know the boy or his family. He didn't hesitate.
An off-duty police officer and an Army soldier who saw the chaos were able to pull the teen out. By then, Quiroz and Hancock had vanished beneath the surface.
A Search Turns Somber
Witnesses described hearing screams before realizing someone had fallen into the water. Gary Mallot, who was nearby, initially thought kids were just playing — until a woman's scream made clear something was terribly wrong.
Rescue teams responded quickly. Quiroz's body was found that night, but the search had to pause due to nightfall and the water's low 50s temperature. The next afternoon, divers recovered Hancock's body.
A Father. A Stranger. A Hero.
Sheriff Lee Boan said, "This is more of a hero story than it is a drowning story ... That's kind of what I wanted to shed the light on," according to WIS 10.
Hancock, who had served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, was at the lake with his wife and three of their four children when he jumped into the water — without ever having met the teen.
Boan said, "He made his last heroic act on his 43rd birthday ... This is the definition of hero. He jumped in the water and ultimately lost his life trying to save someone he never met," as reported by WIS 10.
Friends and former coaches described Hancock as a natural leader — a standout athlete and someone who never ignored a person in need. Lance Abernathy, his former high school coach, said that Hancock always sprang into action when others were in trouble, because that's simply who he was.
2 Families Forever Changed
Quiroz, a family friend of the teen, died trying to protect someone he cared about. Hancock died trying to protect a complete stranger.
While the teenager was rescued and his father made it back to shore, two families were left reeling. Hancock's wife, Jessica Yarber, now faces life as a single mother of four. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support her and the children.
Hancock's funeral is scheduled for May 22.
A Legacy of Bravery
It's hard to imagine the kind of person who would run toward danger — for a complete stranger. But that's exactly what Lonnie Hancock did. He made the ultimate sacrifice, not for glory, but because someone needed help.
And he did it on his birthday.
This is the definition of a hero.
References: South Carolina Veteran Dies on His Birthday Trying to Save 13-Year-Old Boy from Drowning: 'Definition of Hero' | 'A hero story': Kershaw County Sheriff recognizes 2 men who gave their lives during water rescue
