'Heroic' Wake County Man Drowned Saving Boy In River: Reports

ZEBULON, NC — When Jeremie Dale Earp saw a young boy struggling to stay afloat at Little River Park in Zebulon, he sprang into action and managed to save the boy. But police say his "heroic" actions cost Earp his life.

Earp, of Baucom Road southeast of Raleigh, was at the park with some friends Sunday evening when he saw the boy — just 7 or 8 years old — having trouble in the water.

"This gentleman jumped in the water to try and help the boy and was able to help the boy get into more shallow water, but then he disappeared under the water himself," Zebulon police Chief Timothy Hayworth told WRAL-TV.

Multiple people jumped in to help Earp, who went under water and never came back up, and immediately gave him CPR, media outlets reported. Emergency responders were then unable to resuscitate him.

The News and Observer reported, citing police, that Earp was found at the bottom of the river and and wasn't brought ashore for several minutes.

Hayworth told WRAL-TV the child will be ok.

"We really don't have those answers yet, but we do know he was attempting to do something heroic and in fact did. That [boy] is fine and has been checked out by EMS and is OK," Hayworth said.

Photo credit: Renee Schiavone/Patch