Anderson Childers, 38, was an MLB prospect who became a South Carolina lawman later. He was enjoying a vacation with his wife, Nataley, and three children at Pawleys Island. On Sunday, he died a hero after jumping into the raging waters to save a family of five.
According to WCBD, a woman asked him to help rescue the people who were stuck in the rip current. Without a second thought, Childers jumped into action. However, he failed to save himself after getting swept away in front of his family.
Pawleys Island Police Chief Michael Fanning stated, “His first responder instincts kicked in and he went to the water to save people.” The people, who were also swimmers, have been identified as a family of five. However, when they got stuck in the rip current, the former MLB prospect, along with another good Samaritan, quickly jumped to save their lives. The family ultimately made their safe return to the popular vacation spot, which is situated 26 miles from Myrtle Beach.
Childers used up all his energy rescuing the distressed swimmers and failed to make a safe return himself. Following the successful rescue, he got swept away by the raging waters in front of his wife and their three kids. According to the report by the Pawleys Police Department, his body was later recovered by the Coast Guard about 90 minutes after he disappeared in the waters.
A GoFundMe page has since been set up by his family, who now commemorates him as a “devoted husband and father.”
Anderson “Chase” Childers, 38, a former Georgia police officer & MLB player, drowned off Pawleys Island, South Carolina, on Sunday afternoon, July 13, while attempting to rescue swimmers caught in a rip current. Police stated Childers & another person dove into the water to help… pic.twitter.com/VALSiXY1Tt
— True Crime Updates (@TrueCrimeUpdat) July 17, 2025
“His bravery, kindness, and love will always be remembered,” the GoFundMe page read. Childers, who was born in Nashville, was picked up by the Baltimore Orioles for second base and shortstop in the team’s minor league system until 2010.
The hero took a pause from MLB and began his journey as a uniformed patrol officer with the Cobb County Police Department. During his time there, he was bestowed with a lifetime achievement award for “saving several lives.”
A spokesperson for the Orioles expressed the team’s collective grief over his passing: “We are saddened to learn of Chase’s passing, and send our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”
His death has once again raised safety concerns on Pawleys Island. According to WCBD, he is the fifth person to drown since June 2023, and the second since last month. After the tragedy, the Pawleys Island Police Chief told WCBD, “We’re going to put up extra signage in the areas that are prone to these rip currents. We have life rings at all beach accesses, but I think we need to increase life rings in certain areas that are hazard-prone.”
