Charlotte Utility Employee

[700UW]

Now folks lets put things back in perspective, I knew Kent and he was a great guy and dad, and his youngest is about 4 or 5, lets all say a prayer for him and his family.

Kent was a utility employee in CLT, formerly CLT stock clerk and formerly IND utility


After searching all day for the body of a man who drowned off Tybee Island, dive teams have called off the search. Thirty-six year old Kent Sandefur died Thursday saving a six year old boy.

Investigators say Sandefur was at the beach with his family. He was with a church group from South Carolina. Sandefur was on the shore when he noticed his pastor's son out on a sandbar. The boy was in trouble so he ran out to save him. A passerby saw what was happening and ran out to help.

"He had gone under but he pushed the kid toward shore," Larry Roberts, from Portage, Indiana. "That little kid was swimming as hard as he could."

U.S. Coast Guard crews along with Tybee Island lifeguards will continue to search the shoreline. Kent Sandefur was married with three children

 

[totobird]

How tragic. We all need to count our blessings and say a prayer for his family.

 

[700UW]

Officials halt search for possible drowning victim

Kent Sandefur, 36, of South Carolina was swimming when he disappeared Thursday afternoon.

Dana Clark Felty

Rescuers called off a 13-hour search Friday morning for a South Carolina man believed to have drowned off Tybee Island.

Kent Sandefur, 36, was swimming in the ocean on the north side of the island near the Savannah Beach Racquet Club. At around 3:30 p.m. Thursday, someone noticed Sandefur and a young boy swimming near him struggling in the water, said Cpl. Jason Heckman of the Tybee police.

An out-of-town police officer vacationing at the beach was able to pull the boy to safety.

The officer returned to rescue Sandefur but could not find him, Heckman said.

Local police contacted the Coast Guard at 4 p.m., reporting Sandefur as missing and possibly carried out to sea by the rip currents near Tybee Inlet.

Responders from the Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, Station Tybee, Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and local lifeguards searched throughout the night and Friday morning.

At 10:45 a.m. Friday, the rescue mission turned into a search for Sandefur's remains.

"One of the hardest decisions I have to make as a commanding officer is to suspend a search when people are still missing," said Capt. James Tunstall, commanding officer of Coast Guard Group Charleston, S.C. "Our thoughts and prayers are with family and friends. We want the family to know we, along with our partners, put all our resources into finding Kent Sandefur."

Reporters were unable to locate his family or friends for comment.

Recent drownings at the beach have been limited to adults, said Judy Hartley, injury control spokeswoman for SAFE KIDS with the Chatham County Health Department.

"I think adults go out pretty far when they sometimes are not accustomed to the rip tides," Hartley said.

Since 1995, seven men between the ages of 21 and 39 have died in Tybee's waters.

 

[Harry Callahan]

Our prayers & heart go out to this family....I will put myself at the top of the list here. We need to stop taking things for granted & count our blessings.........

 

[RedOne]

I don't know if a RIP current was involved, would guess that it must have been.
I hope everyone who heads to the beach from this point on, will discuss what to do should they be caught in a current that is taking them away from the direction they want to go. Repeat this discussion each time you visit the ocean.
....
Let's all remember this family in our prayers (or in whatever way is your special way.) I can speak first hand about the loss of a loved one who lives in the household. I can't begin to imagine how it must be to have the remains missing.
...
700 if you will, keep us posted.

 

[700UW]

The widow's parents were flown in yesterday by US, I will be getting some pics later of him, and might post one, I knew him and his little boy, puts me in a real downer today.

 

[usairways_vote_NO]

I don't know if a RIP current was involved, would guess that it must have been.
I hope everyone who heads to the beach from this point on, will discuss what to do should they be caught in a current that is taking them away from the direction they want to go. Repeat this discussion each time you visit the ocean.
....
Let's all remember this family in our prayers (or in whatever way is your special way.) I can speak first hand about the loss of a loved one who lives in the household. I can't begin to imagine how it must be to have the remains missing.
...
700 if you will, keep us posted.

It did say it was a rip tide. The first thing you do is get out of a rip tide before trying to swim ashore. Do not swim against the tide but perpendicular to get out of it.

 

[700UW]

Kent's youngest is 4

 

[robbedagain]

i send my deepest sympathies to his family. may God rest his soul. He deserves some kind of medal for trying to save a 6 yr old boy. it hurts me as my 2 yr old is just starting to get used to the pool at my apartment

 

[youngblood]

My thoughts and prayers are with Kent's family especially the children. It so difficult to lose a parent especially at such a young age.


God bless and comfort his family at this time. My youngest is 4 yrs as well and I could not imagine the devastation this would be for her.

 

[Art at ISP]

My condolences thoughts and prayers to Kent's family.

 

[PITbull]

My condolences thoughts and prayers to Kent's family.

Mine as well.

 

[700UW]

Folks this is the best I could find, not that great but alas it is him

 

[700UW]

When we were in Stores we worked together almost everyday, and we are both on the same crew in line maintenance. He was a friend at work and at certain functions.

It just hits home and on this Father's Day there is a 4 year old, 13 year old who don't have a dad anymore and a 17 year who lost his stepfather.

Just very depressing and makes do a reality check.

 

[usairways_vote_NO]

My condolences thoughts and prayers to Kent's family.

My thoughts and prayers too.