Photo courtesy of 11 Alive
A Georgia grandmother died after diving into a lake to save her 13-year-old granddaughter from drowning earlier this month, authorities said.
Stephanie Walker, 49, and her granddaughter, Makayla Prather, were reportedly fishing together on June 11 at West Point Lake when the teen ended up in the water and “became distressed, WSB-TV reported.
Walker jumped into the water to save Prather from drowning. However, she also struggled since she didn’t know how to swim.
Medics arrived at the scene and found Walker not breathing. She was rushed to Well Star West Georgia Medical Center and listed in critical condition. On Friday, Walker succumbed to her injuries after more than a week on life support, the family said.
Investigators confirmed that divers pulled Prather’s body from the lake at 7:30 p.m. last Saturday, deputies said.
Walker’s son, Rodrikeus Prather, took to Facebook and shared a loving tribute to his mother, calling her a true hero for attempting to save his niece without knowing how to swim.
“Just want to thank everyone for your prayers and concerns I love y’all just pray for me and my sister please, mama you can sleep now baby, no more pain or stress and I don’t even have to say watch over my niece up there because what you did any mother/grandmother would have done and for that you are my hero I love you we’ll meet again,” he said in the shared GoFundMe link on his page.
Walker’s daughter, Shawanda Bowls, who is Prather’s mother, previously told 11 Alive that her mother was brave in trying to save her daughter’s life.
“My mom can’t swim. So, the fact that if she jumped in the water, trying to save my daughter, I know she was brave,” Walker’s daughter, Shawanda said.
The family created an online fundraiser to cover funeral expenses for the teen.
Funeral services for Walker and Prather will be held on Saturday, June 25 at Total Faith Missionary Church in Luthersville, Georgia.