Family remembers Sarah Jo Reeder, the woman who saved a child at Phil Moore Park

Sarah Jo Reeder. Courtesy of her family.

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.- The family of the woman who dove into the creek at Phil Moore Park to save a child, is putting a face to the name that has surfaced on the internet as “hero”.

“If I could turn back the hands of time I would, I would tell her she needs to quit being a super woman,” said Ashley Flowers, the best friend of Sarah Jo Reeder.

Sarah Jo Reeder was born in Ohio and moved to Kentucky when she was a little girl.  The Warren Central High School graduate went to Colorado Tech University and studied in business administration.

Last Friday, Sarah risked her life to save a little boy at Phil Moore Park after he fell in.  The child survived, but Sarah had to be rescued by a bystander who performed life-saving procedures on her. 

She was then transported in critical condition to a local hospital where she later died.

“She is an angel. She did everything she could to save Sarah’s life. Of course, at that time the water had done so much damage, but she tried. She had to get her kayak in that current to get her out of it. She put herself in danger to get Sarah out of the water,” said Becky Crick, Sarah’s mother on the woman who also dove into the river to save Sarah after Sarah saved the child.

Her childhood best friend, Ashley, said she was always wearing many hats, including being a mom, sister, daughter, friend and giving her all to others. She said she will miss their bond and holds their past conversations near her heart.

“It’s going to be really hard. When you can’t pick up the phone and just ask her… I can’t even ask her questions, but what’s next is we’re just going to try to keep her memory alive,” Flowers said.

Sarah’s mother, Becky Crick is holding onto memories she had of her daughter growing up. 

“When Sarah was little, and she’d get in trouble and mom hadn’t found out about it yet, she would come and get on my knee. On my leg, right here on my leg and she’d put her arms around me and say, “mommy, tell me a story,” she said.

Now, Becky is telling her daughter’s story after receiving news no parent wishes to hear.

“My grandson called me at about 5:30 because I’m her next of kin. He was like maw we need you at the medical center. There’s been an accident. The night progressed from there. At 10:37 she passed,” Crick said.

Sarah leaves behind 3 children, her mother, brother and family and friends who say she was always wearing a cape in someone’s life. Her mother said her selfless act to save another life was just the tip of the iceberg of how big her heart was.

“It was hard to believe she was gone but when I found out she had jumped in the water to save that little boy, that didn’t surprise me. That’s the way she was,” Crick said.

Becky said if she could say one last thing to her daughter, it would be, “I’m proud of the beautiful strong woman you would become. I’m proud of how you cared about other people. You are my daughter and I love you,” she said with tears rolling down her face.

Her best friend Ashley said their shared faith in God is what carries her, and that she had paid the ultimate price for a stranger. “John 15:13, greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

An investigation is still ongoing.

We will bring you the latest information as it becomes available.