JaCora Lashale Morris

JaCora Lashale Morris rescued a boy from drowning, West Des Moines, Iowa, February 25, 2023. Two young boys, both about 9 years old, broke through the ice on a retention pond at an apartment complex and fell into water about 6 feet deep about 10 feet from the near bank. JaCora’s 15-year-old sister witnessed the incident from a window in their apartment, called out to JaCora, 17, high school student, and the two ran outside to the backyard of the complex. The sister jumped into the frigid pond first, shortly followed by JaCora. Neither JaCora nor her sister could touch the bottom of the pond and had to tread water to stay afloat. The sister got to the boys first, grabbed one by the arm, and attempted to create a path to the grass by breaking the ice with her left elbow before pushing the boy up onto the ice so that he could crawl across to the grassy bank. JaCora approached the second boy who had sunk below the surface, pulled him up by his finger, and attempted to push him up onto the ice just as the sister had done. JaCora could not lift the boy due to his backpack, so she removed it from him and was able to get him onto the ice. JaCora was helped from the water by a bystander, while the sister exited by herself. One boy was taken to the hospital for treatment. JaCora was fatigued, cold, and suffered minor cuts on her hands and legs, but she did not seek medical treatment. She recovered.