Scott Derrick Whitford died attempting to rescue a girl from drowning, Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, June 17, 2017. A 15-year-old girl was caught in a rip current that carried her about 200 feet from an Atlantic Ocean beach into water over her head. She and her mother, who was with her, called for help. Whitford, 56, carpenter, who was on the beach, entered the ocean, and despite rough conditions, swam into deeper water to the girl, where he grasped her from behind. During his efforts in her behalf the girl clung to him, and Whitford submerged several times. Ultimately, he was seen floating several feet from her as police and rescue crews shortly arrived. Emergency responders reached Whitford, who was unresponsive, and attempted to perform CPR on him as they towed him back to the beach. The girl, also brought in by emergency responders, was treated at the scene. She was taken to a hospital and released shortly. She recovered. The mother reached shore. Whitford, who remained unresponsive and in cardiac arrest, was pulled from the water and transported to a hospital, but he could not be revived. 89212-10019
89212 – 10019
89212-10019Obituary
Scott Whitford, 56, of New Bern, N.C., died on June 17, 2017. He was born on May 16, 1961, to James E. Whitford and Betty Baysden Whitford. He was a native of Craven County, N.C., and was a 1979 graduate of West Craven High School. He served in the Navy and was employed at CarolinaEast Medical Center in the carpentry department.
Whitford was a member of Macedonia Freewill Baptist Church and loved his music ministry.
He was buried in the Ipock Family Cemetery in Ernul, N.C.
(Edited from an obituary published on the website of the Wilkerson Funeral Home in Vanceboro, N.C.)