He couldn’t swim — but that didn’t stop Frank Young from diving into the Chattahoochee River when he heard someone screaming for help.
Frank gave his life trying to save a mother and her 4-year-old daughter from drowning.
According to police, the woman’s 14-year-old son watched as Frank managed to get both his mom and sister to safety. But Frank himself never made it back to shore.
Now, his family is left to mourn a heartbreaking loss.
They describe Frank as a quiet soul — humble, kind, and deeply compassionate. He loved animals, never cared about flashy things, and always avoided the spotlight.
But even in his quiet way, his final act of bravery speaks volumes.
His loved ones say his sacrifice should never be forgotten — and I wholeheartedly agree. He deserves to be honored 💔
Texas floods: 17-year-old girl sacrifices life to rescue family
A 17-year-old girl lost her life in the catastrophic Texas floods after helping her family escape from a submerged car swept into raging waters. The teenager, Malaya Hammond, died in the early hours of July 5 while travelling to a Christian summer camp with her family and friends.
According to Mikki Willis, a close family friend who was travelling with them, the group was unaware that the Cow Creek Bridge in central Texas had been flooded due to heavy rainfall. In the darkness, their van veered off the road and fell into the fast-moving waters below. “It was Malaya who managed to open the car door and help others get out,” Willis told KVUE.
While all the passengers initially escaped the van, Malaya was swept away by the strong current as they attempted to reach the riverbank. Her body was found three days later, according to People.com.
REMEMBERING MALAYA
Malaya was remembered as a strong and inspiring presence in her family. “She set the tone as the eldest sibling,” Willis said, adding that she was a role model to her younger siblings.
Her school also mourned her deeply, posting a condolence message online that included a verse from John 11:25, reflecting Malaya’s Christian faith.
As reported by People.com, a GiveSendGo campaign has raised over $136,000 to support the Hammond family with funeral and related expenses.
At least 120 people have died due to the floods in Texas, with more than 170 still missing, according to reports. Among the confirmed fatalities were 27 campers and counsellors from Camp Mystic.
Texas flood death toll hits triple digits, tally of missing tops 180
STORY: The death toll from devastating July Fourth floods in Texas rose to more than a hundred people on Tuesday, many of them children.
Governor Gregg Abbott said authorities were also still seeking more than 180 people whose fate remained unknown.
“Know this, we will not stop until every missing person is accounted for.”
The bulk of fatalities and the search for additional victims were concentrated in Kerr County and the county seat of Kerrville.
The town of 25,000 residents transformed into a disaster zone when torrential rains struck the region last Friday in the early morning.
More than a foot of rain fell In less than an hour, twice as much as had been forecast, flooding the Guadalupe River basin.
Those who died in Kerr County include 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, a nearly century-old Christian girls camp on the banks of the Guadalupe.
The camp director also perished.
Abbott said on Tuesday that five girls and a camp counselor were still unaccounted for, as well as another child not associated with the camp.
In addition to deaths reported in Kerr County, Abbot said more than a dozen other flood-related fatalities had been confirmed across a swath of Texas Hill Country known as “flash flood alley.”
Authorities worry the death toll could climb as floodwaters recede and the search gains momentum.