Nicole Grayson entered the St. Johns River after her 4-year-old fell from the edge of Ed Stone Park.
DELAND, Fla. — A 43-year-old mother died after entering the St. Johns River to save her 4-year-old son, who fell into the water while trying to retrieve an object, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office said.
Nicole Grayson went into the river Saturday afternoon after her son fell near the shoreline at Ed Stone Park in DeLand. Witnesses and a passing boater helped bring the child and Grayson out of the water, but she died hours later at a hospital. Her son was not injured, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies were sent to the park at about 4 p.m. July 18 after witnesses reported that a woman and child were in the river. A preliminary investigation found that the boy had been playing with an object near a wooden fence along the river’s edge when he dropped it over the barrier.
The child fell into the water as he tried to retrieve the object, investigators said. Grayson immediately followed him into the river and tried to keep him above the surface.
As emergency crews headed toward the park, witnesses flagged down a passing boater. The boater threw two life preservers toward Grayson and her son, according to the sheriff’s office.
Grayson became submerged as she struggled to hold the child above the water. The boater moved close enough to pull the boy aboard. Another witness entered the river and helped lift Grayson onto the boat.
A rescuer began CPR and continued until emergency medical workers arrived and took over, authorities said. Grayson was taken to a hospital, where doctors continued efforts to save her.
Grayson died in the intensive care unit at about 10 p.m. Saturday, roughly six hours after deputies were called to the park. Authorities said the child came through the incident unharmed.
The sheriff’s office thanked the witnesses and boater who helped with the rescue. The agency also offered condolences to Grayson’s relatives and friends, describing her actions as the sacrifice of a mother who gave her life to save her son.
Grayson was a mother of six, according to her eldest daughter, Montraevia Adams. In an online fundraiser for funeral and family expenses, Adams described her mother as caring, supportive and devoted to her children.
Authorities have released no indication that criminal activity contributed to the incident. The sheriff’s office said its account was based on an initial investigation into how the child entered the river and how the rescue unfolded.
Author note: Last updated July 20, 2026.