What began as a night of celebration on Lake Oconee turned into a heroic but heartbreaking rescue effort after a boating accident during Fourth of July festivities.
In recognition of their quick actions, Gage Brown and McClain Allgood, cousins and linemen at Central Georgia EMC (CGEMC), received Lifesaving Awards from Georgia EMC on Nov. 10, during the state association’s annual meeting in Savannah.
On the evening of July 4, following a fireworks display near Great Waters, heavy boat traffic and rough waters contributed to a tragic incident when a boat carrying a family capsized, throwing approximately 12 people into the water.
Witnesses, including Brown, Allgood, and others, acted swiftly to assist the victims. Spotting the overturned vessel in the darkness, they immediately jumped into the water, wearing life jackets, and swam toward the scene.
Upon arrival, they found many passengers overboard, panicking and struggling to stay afloat, some unable to swim. They quickly distributed life jackets and worked to bring people to safety on nearby boats, including their own vessel and those operated by the Department of Natural Resources.
During the search for overboard passengers, rescuers learned four-year-old Tilly Roache remained missing and was believed to be trapped beneath the submerged boat. Despite challenging conditions, including darkness, rough waves from ongoing boat traffic, and the imminent danger posed by the overturned vessel, Brown and McClain repeatedly dove under the boat to search for her.
Despite their tireless efforts, the young girl was not immediately located. A former lifeguard later dove beneath the capsized boat and found her on his fifth attempt. CPR was administered, and she was revived with a faint heartbeat before being transported to the hospital. Tilly passed away two days later, however.
Both selflessness and courage marked the rescue effort amid immense challenges. Each of the rescuers, including Brown and Allgood, risked their own safety to save others, and while the outcome was heartbreaking, their quick actions ensured that most of the passengers were brought to safety.
Brown and Allgood are two of 20 employees from nine EMCs in Georgia who received a 2025 Lifesaving Award, which recognizes EMC employees whose quick thinking and actions were instrumental in safeguarding others from dangerous or potentially deadly situations.