An Arkansas police officer died while rescuing his fiancée from strong river currents just hours after proposing to her.
According to 4029 News, Officer Fred Marsh ,24, passed away on July 18 while canoeing on the Elk River with his fiancée and friends. Family members said the proposal had taken place earlier that day, making the tragedy even more heartbreaking. Sheryl Padgett, the mother of Marsh’s fiancée, told the outlet that the couple had been together for three years. She said they were canoeing with another Rogers police officer and his wife when the incident unfolded.
Padgett explained that her daughter entered the water but began struggling to swim because of the river’s strong current.
Officer Entered the Water to Help
According to Padgett, the other officer initially attempted to rescue Marsh’s fiancée before Marsh also entered the water to help.
During the rescue effort, Marsh was caught in the current himself. “He saw the love of his life in distress, and he was going to help his friend and do what a good human would do,” Padgett told 4029 News.
She said Marsh called for help before disappearing beneath the water. He did not resurface. Authorities later recovered his body.
Officer Recently Graduated From Police Academy
Marsh was in his first year with the Rogers Police Department and had recently graduated from the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy on April 9.
Padgett described him as someone who was always willing to help others without hesitation.
“You didn’t have to tell him. You didn’t have to beg him. He just was willing and would jump in there and do whatever it took to help someone,” she said.