A Mississippi teenager became a life-saver Sunday as he helped four people to safety from the Pascagoula River.
It was 2:30 a.m. when Corion Evans, 16, saw a car with three people inside it drive into the river.
According to People, the Moss Point Police Department said the car’s driver said she was led astray by GPS directions she was following.
Whatever the reason, the car went out 20 feet from shore and started to sink into the river, according to WLOX-TV.
How great is this! 16-year-old Corion Evans jumped into action to save four people when a vehicle drove off a boat launch and into the Pascagoula River! https://t.co/dpn5C0CUVT pic.twitter.com/oX7MEcJlgz
— WLBT 3 On Your Side (@WLBT) July 5, 2022
“They drove straight under the water. Like, only a little bit of the car was still above the water,” Evans said.
The Pascagoula High School student, who has been swimming since he was 3 years old, did not hesitate. Off came the shirt and shoes. The phone was tossed aside, and into the water he went.
“I was just like, ‘I can’t let none of these folks die. They need to get out the water’. So, I just started getting them,” he said. “I wasn’t even thinking about nothing else.”
Do all people have the stuff of heroism deep within them?
Karon “KJ” Bradley, who was with Evans, helped get the three teenage girls — who were in the car — out of the vehicle and onto the roof so Evans could get them to shore.
This is Corion Evans.
While he was driving in Mississippi, he saw a car swerve and crash into a river. Without hesitating, he ran out, jumped into the water, and rescued three girls inside.
He’s 16. pic.twitter.com/bVqNd0wXNQ
— Goodable (@Goodable) July 7, 2022
“I was behind them trying to keep them above water and swim with them at the same time,” he said.
Moss Point Police Officer Gary Mercer responded but was having a hard time staying afloat.
“I turned around. I see the police officer,” Evans said. “He’s drowning. He’s going underwater, drowning, saying, ‘Help!’” Evans recalled.
“So, I went over there. I went and I grabbed the police officer and I’m like swimming him back until I feel myself I can walk.”
“They was out there throwing up because a lot of water had got inside all of them,” Evans said. “Twenty-five yards out, so it was a lot of swimming. My legs were so tired after.”
Cora Watson, one of the girls Evans rescued, said in a Facebook post that Evans “saved my life right before my last breath.”
Marquita Evans was proud of her son.
“I was really proud of Corion because he wasn’t just thinking about himself. He was trying to really get all those people out the water,” she said. “I’m glad nothing happened to him while he was trying to save other people’s lives.”
Moss Point Chief Brandon Ashley released a statement praising Evans.
“The police department and I commend Mr. Evans’s bravery and selflessness he displayed by risking his own safety to help people in danger. If Mr. Evans had not assisted, it could have possibly turned out tragically instead of all occupants rescued safely,” he said.
On Tuesday, Evans joined Mercer as they each received commendations from the city, according to USA Today.
“We are proud of the young man for having the courage to forget about himself and jump into the water,” Mayor Billy Knight said. “It’s not often enough that you see people put others above themselves.”
