Thaddeus Smiley dies in fatal Memphis river drowning
Fatal Memphis river drowning death of Thaddeus Smiley – Obituary
Thaddeus Smiley, 31, lost his life in Memphis, Tennessee, after jumping into the Wolf River to rescue a child who was in danger of drowning. The incident occurred on Friday near a sandbar close to the boat take-out point along Walnut Grove Road, where a group of 11 friends and family had gathered.
According to Deputy Chief Anthony Buckner of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the child had entered the water and was visibly struggling. Smiley and his brother both leapt in to help. While the brother was able to bring the child safely back to shore, Smiley never resurfaced.
His body was located two days later, on Sunday, approximately half a mile downstream from where he had gone under. The discovery came after an extensive search effort that included over 100 volunteers and members of the Shelby County Sheriff’s search and rescue team.
Deputy Chief Buckner offered condolences to the Smiley family, expressing sympathy and support during this tragic time.
