A Georgia woman who died after she jumped into a lake to try and save her granddaughter from drowning has been hailed as a hero by her family. In an interview with 11Alive, Stephanie Walker’s daughter, Shawanda Prather, described her mother’s actions as “brave” as she did not know how to swim.
The tragic June 11 incident happened while Walker and her granddaughter Makayla Prather were fishing at West Point Lake, New York Post reported. Authorities said Walker, at a certain point, jumped into the water in an attempt to save the 13-year-old after she “became distressed.”
Walker, however, also ended up struggling in the water. Authorities said the 49-year-old was found unresponsive, and her granddaughter’s body was also recovered later that day. Walker passed away in the hospital on Friday.
Authorities described their deaths as “a tragic accident,” 11Alive reported.
“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,” Shawanda Prather initially told the news outlet.
In a Facebook post, Walker’s son, Rodrikeus Prather, also praised his mother’s actions, saying she was a “super hero.”
A GoFundMe has since been set up to help raise funds for Makayla.
