‘I just couldn’t save them’
A. Texas A mother has described the devastating moment she experienced while trying to save her three young sons who died after falling into an icy pond during an accident. brutal winter storm.
Cheyenne Hangaman told local TV station Fox4 He was unable to “rescue” the boys, ages 6, 8 and 9, who wandered into a frozen pond behind a friend’s house in Fannin County, near the Oklahoma border, on Monday. The accident was reported to him by the boy’s sister, who ran to find help.
“I start running towards the lake, I jump in and try to save them “I’m also trying to keep myself alive because the water is freezing,” Hangaman told FOX 4.
“I actually could barely do anything,” Hangaman said. “It was just one of me and three of them. They all needed me at the same time and I couldn’t do it, I couldn’t save them.”
Hangaman said he warned his sons to stay away from the lake, but his youngest went on the ice anyway and fell. His brothers ran to save him and dived after him.
“That’s how they all got there,” he said.
A Texas mother described the harrowing moment she tried to save her three sons who died after falling into an icy pond. (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Hangaman said a nearby man (Bonham High School’s head football coach) heard the chaos, rushed to the scene and threw a rope at him to pull him to safety.
Multiple surrounding agencies also responded, according to a statement newsletter From the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office.
With the help of a neighbor, first responders pulled the two oldest children from the frigid water, provided medical aid, and took them to the hospital by ambulance. The youngest was rescued after an extensive pond search.
“It was announced that all three children died,” the statement said.
The Fannin County Sheriff’s Office said the brothers fell into a private pond near the Oklahoma border on Monday. (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Through her tears, Hangaman shared heartfelt memories of her sons’ vibrant personalities and favorite passions.
“My oldest, EJ, didn’t care about anything but football and haircuts,” he said. “Caleb’s personality was out of this world. He was the sweetest soul I’ve ever met. Howard was a goofball. He loved to liven up the party. He was headstrong.”
A FOX 4 anchor said Hangaman shared her tragic experience in the hope that other parents would be aware of the dangers of icy conditions. A. GoFundMe It was established to help pay for funeral expenses. As of Tuesday evening, it had raised over $60,000.
Drownings occurred during this time winter storm fernwhich battered much of the United States, causing more than two dozen deaths and leaving thousands without power.
