Anderson “Chase” Childers, 38, a former Georgia police officer and professional baseball player, died Sunday after heroically rescuing swimmers caught in a dangerous rip current off Pawleys Island, South Carolina.

According to the Pawleys Island Police Department, Childers and another bystander rushed into the water to help multiple people in distress. “He died trying to save others,” the department wrote in a tribute.

A native of Kennesaw, Georgia, Childers lived in Paulding County and served over three years as a uniformed patrol officer with the Cobb County Police Department.

Before his law enforcement career, Childers was celebrated for his baseball talent. He attended North Cobb Christian School and Georgia State University before being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2009. He later played in the team’s minor league system.

The Orioles issued a statement expressing sorrow at his passing and extending condolences to his family.

Tragically, Childers’ wife and three children were present during the rescue. Though he successfully saved a family of five, the strong current ultimately swept him away.

A GoFundMe campaign to support his wife and children has raised more than \$230,000. Organizers described him as a devoted husband and father whose final moments were marked by bravery and selflessness.

“He heroically saved a family of five… putting their lives above his own,” the fundraiser reads. “His love, bravery, and kindness will never be forgotten.”