Heroic Father Dies Saving Family from Drowning During Vacation
A Dallas family is mourning the heartbreaking loss of their rock—Chase Childers, a former pro baseball player turned police officer, who died a hero while saving five lives during a family vacation.
The 38-year-old showed “extraordinary courage and selflessness,” ultimately giving his life to rescue others, according to a GoFundMe page created in his memory. Childers’ act of bravery unfolded in front of his wife Nataley and their three children, leaving a lasting legacy of love, kindness, and sacrifice.
Childers once played for the Baltimore Orioles organization in Major League Baseball and had traveled with his family from their home in Dallas to Pawleys Island, South Carolina, for a summer getaway, local station WCBD reported.
While enjoying the water on July 13, Childers noticed another family struggling against a rip current, a dangerous and fast-moving stream pulling away from shore. Without hesitation, he and another individual rushed into the water to help.
The people in danger—and the man who joined Childers—made it safely back. But Childers never resurfaced. Emergency teams from the police, fire department, and US Coast Guard launched a frantic search. His body was sadly recovered 90 minutes later.
The GoFundMe page described how Childers gave “everything he had” in that selfless moment. Tragically, the rip current proved too powerful, and “he was unable to stay above water.”
Originally from Georgia, just northeast of Atlanta, Childers had been a standout baseball player in high school, winning a state championship in 2003, as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He later played for Georgia State University, signed with the Orioles, and competed in the minor leagues in Florida and West Virginia.
After hanging up his glove, Childers served with the Cobb County Police Department in Georgia for three years starting in 2011. His heroism wasn’t new—he had already received a life-saving award in 2012 for his efforts on the force. The GoFundMe page also highlighted how he had been previously honored for saving multiple lives.
Pawleys Island Police Chief Michael Fanning said Childers’ "first responder instincts kicked in" during the crisis, reflecting the kind of man he was—brave, selfless, and deeply committed to helping others.
As of Friday, the GoFundMe had raised over $160,000, supporting the wife and children he leaves behind. The tribute called him “a loving son, a dedicated brother, a treasured friend, an exceptional father, and the soulmate of his beautiful wife—his best friend since they were teens.”
“Words are hard to find,” the page stated, “as his family now faces a world without Chase.”
Description:
"Former MLB player and Dallas police officer Chase Childers tragically drowned while saving five people caught in a deadly rip current during a family vacation. His heroic sacrifice has left the nation in awe and his family heartbroken."