06/20/2026
KENTUCKY MOTHER OF THREE DIES A HERO AFTER SAVING A STRANGERâS CHILD FROM DROWNING.
A Kentucky community is mourning the heartbreaking loss of a mother who made the ultimate sacrifice to save the life of a child she didnât even know.
Sarah Jo Reeder was visiting the creek at Phil Moore Park in Alvaton with her children on Friday when she saw a young boy in distress in the water. Without hesitation, she jumped in to help.
According to Melissa Donovan, a friend of more than 30 years, Reeder successfully reached the child but was pulled underwater during the rescue.
âShe went in the water to try to save the boy, and he eventually pulled her down trying to come up,â Donovan told WBKO. âA paddleboarder pulled her and the boy out of the water and then got emergency services on the way.â
Reeder was rushed to a hospital in Bowling Green, where doctors worked to save her. However, she died hours later after suffering a lack of oxygen to her brain.
Ashley Flowers, another close family friend, said she learned of the tragedy through a heartbreaking phone call from Reederâs son.
âHe said, âYou need to come to the hospital. Somethingâs going to happen with mom,ââ Flowers recalled.
Ashley said Reeder was always wearing many hats, including being a mom, sister, daughter, friend, and giving her all to others. She said she will miss their bond and hold their past conversations near her heart.
âItâs going to be really hard. When you canât pick up the phone and just ask her⊠I canât even ask her questions, but whatâs next is weâre just going to try to keep her memory alive,â Flowers said.
Friends say Reederâs final act was a reflection of the person she had always been.
âShe would run into a burning building to go after whoever. I mean, it could even be a cat,â Flowers said. âHer automatic instinct was to help another person, to do whatever needed to be done.â
Sarahâs mother, Becky Crick, is holding onto memories she had of her daughter growing up.
âWhen Sarah was little, and sheâd get in trouble, and mom hadnât found out about it yet, she would come and get on my knee. On my leg, right here on my leg, and sheâd put her arms around me and say, âmommy, tell me a story,â she said.
Now, Becky is telling her daughterâs story after receiving news no parent wishes to hear.
âMy grandson called me at about 5:30 because Iâm her next of kin. He was like, " Maw, we need you at the medical center. Thereâs been an accident. The night progressed from there. At 10:37, she passed,â Crick said.
As loved ones mourn her loss, they are also advocating for improved safety measures at the creek. Donovan hopes lifesaving equipment, such as rescue rings attached to ropes, can be installed in Reederâs memory.
âIn honor of her, I would really like to see some lifesavers down here on ropes, because this is not an uncommon occurrence,â Donovan said. âSomebody falling in, somebody getting swept up. It happens every year down here.â
