Two men who drowned in the Wateree River last Saturday lost their lives in an act of heroism, Kershaw County Sheriff Lee Boan confirmed during a press conference Monday. Valentin Quiroz, 21, and Lonnie Hancock, 43, died while attempting to rescue a 13-year-old boy who had fallen into the river near the Wateree Dam. “This is more of a hero story than it is a drowning story,” Boan said. “That’s what I wanted to shed light on.”
The incident unfolded when the teenager, who was fishing with his family, slipped on rocks and fell into the water. The river’s strong currents quickly pulled him away. His father and Quiroz, a family friend, immediately jumped in to save him. Moments later, Hancock, a retired U.S. Navy veteran who was at the scene with his family, joined the rescue effort.
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According to WLTX, Nearby, an off-duty Lexington Police officer and an active-duty Army soldier, who were fishing in a boat, noticed the emergency and assisted in the rescue. They successfully pulled the boy from the water, but Quiroz and Hancock had already disappeared beneath the surface. “These men didn’t hesitate,” Boan said. “They saw someone in trouble and they jumped in. That’s what heroes do.”
Emergency responders from multiple agencies, including the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office, Kershaw County Fire Service, Camden Fire Department, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (DNR), launched a search operation. Quiroz’s body was recovered just before 9 p.m. Saturday, while Hancock’s body was found around 12 p.m. Sunday. A GoFundMe page was created in support of Hancock’s surviving wife, Jessica Yarber, and their four children.
Boan emphasized the dangerous conditions, noting the water temperature was in the lower 50s. “That’s cold—20 degrees from freezing,” he said. “It can shock your body when you hit that water.” Hancock, who retired from the U.S. Navy as a Petty Officer First Class after 20 years of service, was celebrating his 43rd birthday on the day of the incident, told WIS.
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He leaves behind a wife and four children, ages 19, 12, 9, and 8. “He made his last heroic act on his birthday,” Boan said. “He’s the definition of a hero. They need to put his picture in the dictionary under that word.” Boan shared a photo of Hancock, provided by his wife, to honor his bravery.
The family of Quiroz, who was unable to provide a photo as they were making funeral arrangements, will also be honored in the future. “They made the ultimate sacrifice,” Boan said. “Two heroes jumped into the water without hesitation, trying to save a life. That is the definition of a hero.”
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