DESOTO COUNTY, Miss. — A vacation ended in tragedy as a Desoto County Sheriff’s deputy drowned during a family outing in Florida. Authorities said he died a hero.
According to reports, William Nichols, 33, drowned while saving his son on Wednesday in Destin, Florida. Nichols helped his son make it back to shore but wasn’t able to make it himself because of the strong current.
Rescuers pulled him from the water and performed CPR as he was rushed to the hospital. He later died.
Nichols was the director of the Search and Rescue Division at the Desoto County Sheriff’s Department.
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