Still grieving the \u201cimmeasurable and seemingly never-ending\u201d pain of losing his son, father Shivy Brooks remains proud of 16-year-old Bryce, who gave his life to save four children from drowning.<\/p>\n
In April 2023, while on vacation in Pensacola, Florida, Bryce and his friends saw a group of younger kids caught in a dangerous rip current. Without hesitation, they jumped in to help.<\/p>\n
\u201cBryce was calling for help\u2014not for himself, but for the kids he was trying to save,\u201d Shivy shared.<\/p>\n
Tragically, Bryce was pulled under. He died of cardiac arrest. A close family friend, Charles \u201cUncle Chuck\u201d Johnson II, also lost his life trying to rescue him.<\/p>\n
Shivy and his wife Crystal have honored their son through the Bryce Brooks Foundation<\/strong>, which provides free swim lessons and lifeguard training scholarships. Johnson\u2019s son was among the first scholarship recipients.<\/p>\n \u201cBryce is a hero,\u201d Shivy said. \u201cHe stepped into manhood by saving those children. We\u2019ll never see him grow into the man he was becoming, but we\u2019re so proud.\u201d<\/p>\n Crystal added, \u201cIt doesn\u2019t ease the pain, but it makes me proud of our son and his sacrifice.\u201d<\/p>\n Months later, Shivy\u2019s social media reflects a father\u2019s heartbreak and pride: \u201cI just want to talk to this kid. I just want my son to come home.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201d<\/p>\n