Moss Point, Mississippi, July 3, 2022
16-year-old Corion Evans and his friends are out walking along the Pascagoula River when they see a car drive down a boat ramp and plunge into the river. The car began floating down the river, and started sinking. He heard the girls in the car shouting for help, so took off his shoes and shirt and went in after them. The car was sinking fast. “I was just like, ‘I can’t let none of these folks die. They need to get out the water,'” he said.
A police officer arrived at the scene and swam to rescue one of the victims, who panicked and dragged the officer under water. Seeing that the officer was in trouble, Evans rescued him, too. “I turned around. I see the police officer. He’s drowning. He’s going underwater, drowning, saying, ‘Help!'” Evans said. “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.”
This is truly a story of the right person being in the right place at the right time. Evans is an athlete who plays football on his high school team and has been swimming since he was 3. And, like all heroes, he saw what needed to be done and did it without thinking about himself.
Recognizing Evans’ bravery, the Moss Point Chief of Police told the media, “If Mr. Evans had not assisted, it could have turned out tragically instead of all occupants rescued safely.”