Johnny Lee Vann Jr., a 35-year-old father from North Carolina lost his life trying rescue two of his seven children from rough waters at Wrightsville Beach. Two of his children were on a jetty wall and were swept by the wave.
Vann was able to rescue one of his children but didnโt resurface after going back to save the second. Vann was underwater for about 30 seconds before responders rescued him and the other child. However, Vann could not be brought back to life.
โWe came from church and we went to the beach to have fun.We wound up having a tragedy. You couldnโt ask for a better person,โ Johnnyโs wife Dawn Vann told WWAY. โYou could have taken anybody else,โ she said. โI wouldโve preferred to take me than him.โ โHe never hesitated,โ she continued, speaking of her husbandโs bravery. โHe threw everything down โ phone keys and ran out there.โ
โThey couldโve easily saved him, he said, โForget about me. Get my kids!โ He didnโt care about nothing else,โ Vann recalled. Andre Nel, a fishing captain, who witnessed the tragedy said: โI saw an African American gentleman sprinting towards the beach. And he dove into the water and went straight for the kid that was in the water.
โIf there was a lifeguard station right here yesterday, this would not have happened.โ According to Nel, there are not enough warning signs for the high tide on the jetty, along which the children were walking.
โHis spirit is still alive and weโre all going to remember him as a hero.โ Meanwhile, the family has now set up a fundraising page to take care of the last officeโs expenses.
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