Benny Gracy died helping attempt to save Charles W. and Billy J. Christmas from drowning, Rockwall, Texas, April 27, 1985. Charles, 94, and his son Billy were passengers in a car that was stranded by the rising floodwaters of Buffalo Creek. Gracy, 32, sanitation company operations manager who was also chief of the volunteer fire department, responded to the scene, where he waded to the car to assist a deputy sheriff who had secured a hold on Charles. Before Gracy and the deputy could remove Charles from the car, the force of the water lifted the car and pulled it into the creek, where it lodged against the opening of a 300-foot-long culvert. Charles drowned. Gracy, Billy, and the deputy were pulled by the current through the culvert. Billy and the deputy were able to leave the creek, but Gracy drowned. 60367-7004
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