As the Hurricane Helene-driven waters rose around the Nolichucky River in Tennessee, Boone McCrary, his girlfriend and his chocolate lab headed out on his fishing boat to search for a man who was stranded by floodwaters that had leveled his home. But the thick debris in the water jammed the boat’s motor, and without power, it slammed into a bridge support and capsized.
McCrary and his dog Moss never made it out of the water alive.
Search teams found McCrary’s boat and his dog’s body two days later, but it took four days to find McCrary, an emergency room nurse whose passion was being on his boat in that river. His girlfriend, Santana Ray, held onto a branch for hours before rescuers reached her.
David Boutin, the man McCrary had set out to rescue, was distraught when he later learned McCrary had died trying to save him.
“I’ve never had anyone risk their life for me,” Boutin told The Associated Press. “From what I hear that was the way he always been. He’s my guardian angel, that’s for sure.”
The 46-year-old recalled how the force of the water swept him out his front door and ripped his dog Buddy — “My best friend, all I have” — from his arms. Boutin was rescued by another team after clinging to tree branches in the raging river for six hours. Buddy is still missing, and Boutin knows he couldn’t have survived.
McCrary was one of at least 230 people killed by Hurricane Helene’s raging waters and falling trees across six states — Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia — and was among a group of first responders who perished while trying to save others. The hurricane caused significant damage in nearby Unicoi County, where flooding swept away 11 workers at an plastics factory and forced a rescue mission at an Erwin, Tennessee, hospital.
McCrary, an avid hunter and fisherman, spent his time cruising the waterways that snake around Greeneville, Tennessee. When the hurricane hit, the 32-year-old asked friends on Facebook if anyone needed help, said his sister, Laura Harville. That was how he learned about Boutin.
McCrary, his girlfriend and Moss the dog launched into a flooded neighborhood at about 7 p.m. on Sept. 27 and approached Boutin’s location, but the debris-littered floodwaters clogged the boat’s jet motor. Despite pushing and pulling the throttle, McCrary couldn’t clear the junk and slammed into the bridge about two hours into the rescue attempt.
“I got the first phone call at 8:56 p.m. and I was a nervous wreck,” Harville said. She headed to the bridge and started walking the banks.
Harville organized hundreds of volunteers who used drones, thermal cameras, binoculars and hunting dogs to scour the muddy banks, fending off copperhead snakes, trudging through knee-high muck and fighting through tangled branches. Harville collected items that carried McCrary’s scent — a pillowcase, sock and insoles from his nursing shoes — and stuffed them into mason jars for the canines to sniff.
On Sunday, a drone operator spotted the boat. They found Moss dead nearby, but there was no sign of McCrary.
Searchers had no luck on Monday, “but on Tuesday they noticed vultures flying,” Harville said. That was how they found McCrary’s body, about 21 river miles (33 kilometers) from the bridge where the boat capsized, she said.
Boutin, 46, isn’t sure where he will go next. He is staying with his son for a few days and then hopes to get a hotel voucher.
He didn’t learn about McCrary’s fate until the day after he was rescued.
“When the news hit, I didn’t know how to take it,” Boutin told the AP. “I wish I could thank him for giving his life for me.”
Dozens of McCrary’s coworkers at Greenville Community Hospital have posted tributes to him, recalling his kindness and compassion and desire to help others. He “was adamant about living life to the fullest and making sure along the way that you didn’t forget your fellow man or woman and that you helped each other,” Harville said.
McCrary’s last TikTok video posted before the hurricane shows him speeding along the surface of rushing muddy water to the tune, “Wanted Dead or Alive.” He wrote a message along the bottom that read:
“Some people have asked if I had a ‘death wish.’ The truth is that I have a ‘life wish.’ I have a need for feeling the life running through my veins. One thing about me, I may be ‘crazy,’ Perhaps a little reckless at times, but when the time comes to put me in the ground, you can say I lived it all the way.”
___
Bellisle reported from Seattle.
How does the story of Boone McCrary challenge our understanding of individual responsibility in emergency situations?
The story of Boone McCrary, who tragically lost his life trying to save another during Hurricane Helene, raises poignant ethical and societal questions about the responsibilities of individuals in disaster situations.
Debate Question: Should individuals be encouraged to put their lives in danger to rescue others during natural disasters, or should there be a focus on structured rescue operations led by trained professionals to mitigate risks?
This question invites debate on several critical points:
- Heroism vs. Recklessness: Some may argue that McCrary exemplified heroic behavior, illustrating the extraordinary courage and selflessness that humans can display in times of crisis. His actions might inspire others to take similar risks for those in need. On the contrary, some may view such risks as reckless, particularly when amateur rescues can lead to more loss of life, as seen with McCrary’s tragic end.
- Role of Training and Preparedness: This incident also highlights the importance of training for disaster response. Critics of untrained rescues may argue that professional rescuers have the skills and equipment necessary to navigate dangerous situations more safely. Should communities invest more in training programs for citizens to manage disaster situations or ensure they know when to defer to professionals?
- Community vs. Individual Action: The debate can extend to the idea of community involvement. While McCrary acted on behalf of a community need, could his efforts have been better coordinated through organized relief efforts or disaster response teams? Advocates of community action might argue that individual initiatives like McCrary’s are vital in emergency scenarios, especially when official help is delayed.
- Consequences of Decision-Making: Lastly, this tragedy underscores the need to consider the consequences of actions taken during a crisis. Should there be guidelines or policies that inform individuals about the potential risks versus the benefits of going into dangerous situations, especially when lives are at stake?
Through discussing these dimensions, participants can explore the moral implications of heroism, the value of training, and the roles of both individual and organized responses to crises, as illustrated by McCrary’s dedication and ultimate sacrifice.
Here are some PAA (People Also Ask) related questions for the title of Boone McCrary’s story:
The story of Boone McCrary serves as a powerful narrative that intersects personal bravery, altruism, and the complex nature of individual responsibility in emergency situations. It raises critical questions about the balance between the instinct to help and the potential to exacerbate dangerous circumstances.
Heroism vs. Recklessness: McCrary’s decision to venture into hazardous floodwaters to rescue another highlights the profound heroism that individuals can display in the face of disaster. His actions exemplify courage and a deep-rooted desire to assist those in peril, potentially inspiring others to act similarly in crises. However, such acts of bravery can be perceived as reckless, especially when they result in greater danger not only to the rescuer but also to the individuals they intend to save. This dynamic is significant in discussions about how society values individual intervention versus professional rescue efforts.
Structured Rescue Operations vs. Individual Actions: The idea of structured rescue operations led by trained professionals arises as a fundamental consideration. While individual actions may stem from good intentions, they can lead to ill-fated circumstances, as demonstrated by McCrary’s tragic outcome. Structured responses typically involve trained rescuers equipped with the necessary skills and resources to navigate dangerous situations effectively, potentially reducing harm to both rescuers and victims.
This debate brings forth several points for consideration:
- Training and Preparedness: Should there be increased emphasis on training civilians for emergency situations, enabling them to assist without undue risk?
- Community Education: How can communities be educated about the dangers of flooding and the limitations of personal rescue efforts, thus fostering a culture of calling for professional help rather than attempting rescues independently?
- Mental Health and Emotional Responses: The psychological impact of witnessing or being involved in rescue attempts can be profound. How do we equip individuals to cope with the emotional aftermath of such situations, particularly if they take risks that lead to tragic outcomes?
Conclusion: Ultimately, Boone McCrary’s story invites reflection on the balance of heroism and caution. It emphasizes the need for a nuanced understanding of individual responsibility in emergency situations, where the instinct to rescue must be tempered by an awareness of the potential consequences both for oneself and those one aims to help. The ongoing discussion surrounding this narrative could influence future policies regarding community preparedness, emergency response training, and the ethics of rescue operations during natural disasters.
