Dad jumped in river to save kids and never came up, NC officials say. Now body found
A family outing turned deadly when a dad jumped in a river to save his kids who were struggling to swim, North Carolina deputies said.
Benny Bowers Jr. rescued his children, but he didn’t resurface, according to a news release from the Surry County Sheriff’s Office.
Search crews have now located his body.
Bowers, 44, was having a weekend family outing on the water on Sunday, April 28, when he went in to help his kids shortly before 1 p.m., deputies said.
He disappeared, and authorities said they were called in for a rescue operation at the juncture of the Yadkin and Ararat River in Siloam.
Crews across jurisdictions worked together to search for Bowers on the river throughout the day, but they suspended operations when it got dark, Maj. Scott Hudson told WGHP.
They resumed the search the following morning, and at around 11 a.m. on April 29, Bowers was found near the juncture where he vanished, deputies said, calling his death a “tragic” event.
Bowers, who went by Benji, leaves a wife and sons behind, according to friends and family.
“To know him was to love him,” his cousin wrote on Facebook. “Always the jokester. The life of the party. God, family, friends and fishing were what matters most. You will forever be alive in my heart.”
Those who knew him are now mourning his loss but hailing him for saving his kids.
“Benji was an out going family man, a husband and father and an even bigger hero,” someone wrote in a Facebook tribute. “Benji you will be missed. Until we meet again.”
Siloam is in Surry County in the northern part of the state, about a 90-mile drive northeast from Charlotte.
Drowning
At least 4,000 people die from drowning every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and drowning is a leading cause of death for children.
Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance said there are tips to help keep you safe in the water, including checking local weather conditions, never swimming alone and choosing the right equipment.
“Don’t hesitate to get out of the water if something doesn’t feel right,” the group said on its website. “Whether it’s that the current is getting rough, rain has started to fall, or your body is just not responding like you would like it to due to fatigue or muscle cramps, then just leave and return to the water another day. It’s always a good thing to trust your instincts.”
This story was originally published April 30, 2024 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Dad jumped in river to save kids and never came up, NC officials say. Now body found."