Children of Metcalfe County drowning victim speak out, remember their mom as a hero

METCALFE COUNTY, Ky. – Amber West was a 34-year-old mom, sister, girlfriend, daughter and friend. 

She died Aug. 10 trying to rescue her sons from Little Barren River, doing what she loved, enjoying nature.

Her children sat down and recalled the moment their mother went under after saving their lives.

One of her younger sons, Ryker, accidentally swam too far in, and his siblings, Hudson and Hendrix, came to the rescue, but the current underneath the surface was too strong for the boys.

“Under the water, it doesn’t look like it moves on top of the water as much, but when you get down there to the deep area under the water, it’s like a really strong current, and it’ll take you away, so it just kept taking us deeper and deeper,” Hudson, her stepson, said.

He said that’s when Amber jumped into action to save them. She put Ryker on a large boulder nearby, he says. 

“Like she threw him real close because she couldn’t, she saved all of us, but she threw Bubby, close to the rock where he could hold onto it himself because she couldn’t hold him. And that’s when she started floating. She was just gone,” said Hudson.

The family was at the river celebrating Amber’s twin boys’ 11th birthdays, a day representing life that ended in the loss of hers. Her sons say she was a hero without a cape.

Now, the kids and her boyfriend, Jeremy Rhinehart, are taking the time to remember who she was. Rhinehart recalled the first day he laid eyes in amber, who was the love of his life.

“We fell head over heels for each other very, very early. So ever since that day, we’ve been together. It’s just crazy,” Rhinehart said.

The family gives thanks to Jarrod Steele, the Metcalfe County deputy sheriff who jumped in to save Amber.

She was laid to rest Aug. 16. There has been a GoFundMe in support of her children to help with back-to-school supplies. 

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife is investigating this case.