Clarendon County Sheriff Tim Baxley said it’s rare to see the bravery in grown men that 11-year-old Ander Coker Sullivan and 6-year-old Rivers Patrick Baird showed the day the boys attempted to save the life of Charlton Rhett Coker Jr.
The boys were with Coker, their grandfather, when their ATV overturned and pinned the older man in a ditch.
“He often went camping with all of his grandchildren, but that particular Friday night, he had decided to take just the boys,” said Baxley. “They were back at the cabin, hanging out and spending time together, when they decided to go for a four-wheeler ride around the hay field, like they had done many, many times before.”
After the vehicle went into a six-foot canal ditch about 10 p.m. that Friday, Ander was able to pull Rivers out of the ditch and bring him to safety on the hill with him.
“The two boys then tried to get the four-wheeler off of the top of their granddaddy, but were unable to move it,” Baxley said. “Ander said that, at that time, granddaddy was no longer talking to him, so he knew that they had to go for help.”
Ander told Rivers they had to go, and they began to run to an apartment complex across the field. On the way, Ander called 911 on his cell phone, and then called his mother.
“When they got to the apartments, they finally found a lady that was trying to help them,” said Baxley. “She spoke to Ander’s mother on the phone and was going back to the four-wheeler with the boys when the cops arrived.”
It would prove too late for Coker, who died that night.
“These two boys are some of the strongest children that I have ever met,” said Baxley. “They did everything that they possibly could to save their granddaddy, and Ander saved his little cousin. They truly are heroes.”
Baxley and Rep. Robert Ridgeway recognized the children on July 24 with a dinner and presenting them both with plaques recognizing their bravery.
Baxley said that, later, authorities discovered that Coker had a heart attack, which is what caused him to lose control of the four-wheeler and drive it into the ditch.
“While this is an absolutely tragedy for the family, and they will never be the same because of it, these boys truly did everything in their power to help at such a young age,” Baxley said. “This is something that they will have to live with for the rest of their lives, but I know that if Charlton were here, he would be so very proud of these boys.”
