US4 min(s) read
Published 16:16 23 Jul 2026 GMT
An Arkansas police officer proposed to his girlfriend just hours before making the ultimate sacrifice.
Officer Fred Marsh, 24, of the Rogers Police Department asked Hailey Lummus to marry him on Saturday morning before the newly engaged couple set off on a canoeing trip with friends along Missouri's Elk River.
"He proposed to my daughter on the day he passed away, early that morning, and he made her his fiancée," Hailey's mother, Sheryl Padgett, told 40/29.
What began as a day of celebration quickly turned to heartbreak when Lummus entered the water and began struggling against the powerful current while trying to get back to a kayak.
According to Padgett, Marsh immediately rushed into the river to help his fiancée.
Another Rogers police officer, who was on the trip with his wife, also entered the water to assist.
Together, they managed to get Lummus to safety by pushing her toward a nearby canoe. But as they rescued her, Marsh was caught by the swift current.
Despite desperate efforts from members of the group and others on the river to save him, he disappeared beneath the water and never resurfaced.
A Missouri State Highway Patrol incident report said the group had been canoeing near Easy Street in Noel, Missouri, close to the Arkansas border.
The report stated Marsh died after entering the water to assist someone and was pronounced dead at 10:08AM local time on Sunday (July 19).
Marsh and Lummus had been together for three years before becoming engaged on the day of the tragedy.
"They had been together for three beautiful years, and they had a very beautiful, loving relationship," Padgett said. "Even though legally he was not my son-in-law, he will forever be my son."
Padgett also revealed the pair had formed a unique bond after sharing similar heartbreak.
"I lost my only son, four years ago, to a fatal accident in my hometown so we instantly made a connection and a bond. I called him son, and he called me mama."
Marsh graduated from the Arkansas Law Enforcement Training Academy in April and was serving his first year with the Rogers Police Department.
Rogers Police Chief Jonathan Best announced Marsh’s death in a release, praising the late cop's "willingness to serve others" and his "enthusiasm" for policing.
On Monday, Marsh's body was escorted through Northwest Arkansas in a motorcade as family members, fellow officers and members of the public gathered to pay their respects.
His cousin, Chris Frye, said Marsh died exactly as he lived.
"As tragic as this is, he died the hero," Frye told KNWA. "He gave his life to save someone else. And that hurts to say, but it is true. His heart was in the right place. He wasn't thinking about himself. He was thinking about others. That's the job of a police officer."
Corporal Don Lisi also reflected on the loss, saying the news "took a while to sink in" and remembered Marsh as someone who made a positive impact during his short time with the department.
A former teammate from Ecclesia College, where Marsh played baseball, also remembered him as a "God-fearing man" who was "there for everybody."
Lummus' sister, Kourtlin Ricketts, launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover expenses as Hailey begins rebuilding her life without her fiancé.
"Due to this sudden loss, it has left Hailey in overwhelming need. With a new lease, bills, and more unforseen expenses, it is now left all on her shoulders," she wrote.
Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this loss.
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Published 14:35 12 Mar 2024 GMT
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Published 12:56 31 Dec 2020 GMT
Published 11:57 21 Sep 2019 GMT
Per WAFB, a Lousiana man tragically passed away while proposing to his girlfriend underwater.
His would-be fiancée, Kenesha Antoine, took to Facebook to share the devastating news, posting a video of the proposal, in which Steven Weber Jr. swam underwater, and held up a note to her.
The incident occurred when the couple were on holiday in Tanzania.
This hero waitress describes saving drowning boy:
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The note, which has been placed in a water-tight ziplock back read "I can't hold my breath long enough to tell you everything I love about you. But...everything I love about you I love more every day!" And on the other side of the note, Weber asked Antoine to marry him.
In the clip shared by Antoine, she can be seen saying "yes", before Weber swam out of the frame. As of now, it's not clear how or why Weber drowned.
According to The Advocate, a U.S State Department official said on Friday that they were "aware of reports of the death of a U.S. citizen in Tanzania."
"We offer our sincerest condolences to the family on their loss. We stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance," they said.
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In a tribute to her late partner, Antoine wrote on Facebook: "There are no words adequate enough to honor the beautiful soul that is Steven Weber, Jr. You were a bright light to everyone you encountered."
"You never met a stranger, and you brought so much joy to so many people. You were kind, compassionate, you regularly made me cry with laughter, and you showered me with a love like none I'd ever experienced."
Antoine proceeded to explain that Weber "never emerged from those depths", meaning he never got to hear her answer, which was: "Yes! Yes! A million times, yes, I will marry you."
"We never got to embrace and celebrate the beginning of the rest of our lives together, as the best day of our lives turned into the worst, in the cruelest twist of fate imaginable," she continued.
"I will try to take solace in the fact that we enjoyed the most amazing bucket list experiences these past few days, and that we both were so happy and absolutely giddy with excitement in our final moments together."
Published 17:45 01 Feb 2021 GMT
A Texas police chief has been arrested after his fiancée exposed his alleged triple life on Facebook by stating that he has a wife, girlfriend, and is still dating.
Jason Collier, the former head of Stinnett Police Department, was arrested by the Texas Rangers on the felony of tampering with government records with intent to defraud – namely, a fake marriage annulment.
Collier's fiancée Cecily Steinmetz revealed on Tuesday (January 28) in a negative Facebook review of the City of Stinnett that she "doesn't recommend" her former beau.
"Chief Jason Collier is living a double/triple life," she wrote. "I was his girlfriend until yesterday. He lied to me and presented me with fake annulment documents when I found out he was married.
"I also found out about a 2nd girlfriend, Kristi, last night. He has lied to us, our children, and asked us both to marry him. He is a poor representative of your town."
She continued: "He would also visit me in Amarillo when he was on shift. We just returned from vacation in Taos on Sunday - meanwhile, his other GF was told he was on work assignment in Portland, OR."
The post was accompanied by pictures of the then-happy couple as well as a photograph of Collier and his wife, his still active online dating profile and a picture of the alleged fake annulment papers.
The post did not go unnoticed on the social media website, and at the time of writing, it has received over 36K comments and 23K reactions.
"The City of Stinnett is aware of the current situation surrounding the Chief of Police Jason Collier," City Manager Durk Downs wrote in a statement on Facebook the following day.
"The city is taking this seriously and will be looking into any violations of city policy," it said, before adding that Collier had been placed on administrative leave.
The department was true to its word when it came to taking the allegations seriously, and when the father of four tendered his resignation, and it was immediately accepted.
Sgt. Cindy Barkley of the Texas Department of Public Safety said that the Hutchinson County District Attorney's office asked the Texas Rangers to launch a criminal investigation into Collier.
Per KAMR, Sgt. Barkley stated: "Collier allegedly sent a text message to the victim with a fraudulent government record attached. The document was a fraudulent marriage annulment."
Sgt. Barkley said that he has now been charged with tampering with a government document with the intent to defraud. This is a state jail felony and his bond was set at $10,000.
A police officer in Australia tragically died during his own engagement party due to a tragic accident.
Liam Trimmer, 29, accompanied by his fiancée and surrounded by loved ones, was hosting their engagement party at the couple's residence in Western Australia.
Originally from the United Kingdom, Trimmer began his policing career at Joondalup Police Academy in 2013, later relocating to Kalgoorlie in 2017.
However, what was meant to be a celebration of the couple's love soon turned to tragedy.
According to reports from The Telegraph and The Sydney Morning Herald, tragedy struck when Trimmer fell backward, sustaining a fatal cut to his neck.
Despite efforts from those present to assist the 29-year-old officer, they were unable to save his life, as confirmed by Western Australia Police Force Commissioner Col Blanch.
"I know everyone that was involved are really, really hurting," Blanch expressed. "I think they wish they could just wake up from this nightmare."
The exact circumstances leading to Trimmer's fall remain unclear, prompting an investigation.
Trimmer was a respected member of the police department, serving in the tactical response group and gang crime squad.
Commissioner Blanch remembered Trimmer as a promising young officer, expressing deep sorrow over the tragedy.
"This extraordinary officer loved helping the community, [he] was a fine example of WA policing," Blanch said, as cited by The Telegraph.
Blanch continued: "[He was] a very, very confident, capable young man with his whole life ahead of him, and that's how sad this is. It's important now for us to wrap around each other, to lean on each other.
"Can I thank the community and those involved - first responders and the broader parts of the community - for really offering their support to the family and fellow officers."
In the wake of the accident, the Western Australian Police Union took to Facebook to mourn the loss of their colleague.
"The WA Police Union sends heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the fallen officer during this difficult period," their statement read.
Union President Paul Gale added: "Every time a death occurs for a police officer, it doesn't matter how, it really does rock the core of the police family."
WA's Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti said Trimmer's death was an "awful awful tragedy," adding: "As I understand it, this police officer came over from the UK to start a new life in WA. My condolences go out to the family and friends of that particular officer."
A police spokesperson told The West Australian: "Our thoughts and deepest condolences are extended to his family and colleagues.
"Our health, welfare, and safety division will provide support to those impacted by this tragedy."
A post mortem is currently being carried out on Trimmer's body, with a statement regarding his death expected in the coming days.
Our thoughts are with Trimmer's loved ones during this difficult time.
Published 13:42 13 Mar 2024 GMT
The girlfriend of the police officer who died in a tragic accident has made a massive revelation in the wake of her fiancé's death.
On Sunday, Liam Trimmer and his fiancée Lilly Watts gathered with family and friends at their Western Australian home to announce their engagement when the 29-year-old reportedly fell backward, and sustained a fatal cut to his neck, as per The Sydney Morning Herald.
Despite efforts from those present to assist Trimmer, they were unable to save his life, as confirmed by Western Australia Police Force Commissioner Col Blanch, who described the incident as a "nightmare."
"I know everyone that was involved are really, really hurting," he said. "I think they wish they could just wake up from this nightmare."
According to The Telegraph, an investigation has been launched into the matter to identify an official cause of death.
In the wake of the terrible accident, Trimmer's fiancée has revealed that she is pregnant with her late partner's child and will now be raising the baby all alone.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Watts opened up about Timmer's reaction to becoming a dad, stating that he was "excited" about the couple's new chapter.
"I have never known a love like Liam’s and this heartbreak and emptiness is just so overwhelming," she said. "He will always be the love of my life and our baby will know the wonderful man he was."
A friend of Watts also revealed further details in the description of a GoFundMe page set up to help the fiancée look after the child after it's born.
"Tragically, on Saturday night, Lilly’s world was shattered by a freak accident that claimed the life of her beloved fiancé, Senior Constable Liam Trimmer," Mel, an old friend of Watts' wrote.
"Lilly, a dedicated Clinical Registered Nurse at Royal Perth Hospital, now finds herself navigating uncharted waters," she continued. "Not only has she lost her soulmate, but she also carries the precious gift of new life within her. At almost 14 weeks pregnant, Lilly now faces the prospect of raising a child without her beloved partner, while also grappling with the financial responsibilities that come with homeownership."
Mel urged people to give whatever they could in the hopes that it can "help light the path forward for Lilly and honor the memory of the man she loved so dearly."
The page has so far raised over $74,000 of it's $100,000 target.
Trimmer relocated from the United Kingdom to Kalgoorlie, Australia in 2017 to continue his career as part of the Joondalup Police Academy.
Following the accident, the Western Australian Police Union said in a Facebook post that "they were deeply saddened by the passing of a valued member of the blue family."
"The WA Police Union sends heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the fallen officer during this difficult period," their statement added.
In a separate statement to PEOPLE, they also added that their "Health, Welfare and Safety Division will provide support to those impacted by this tragedy."
Our thoughts and prayers are with Trimmer's family and loved ones during this difficult time.
A man's romantic clifftop proposal went horrifically wrong after his fiancée fell 650ft off the cliff just moments after saying yes.
As reported by German tabloid newspaper Bild, the unfortunate couple had trekked to the top of the mountain in Carinthia, Austria, where the man, 27, proposed to his 32-year-old girlfriend.
However, moments after saying 'yes', the heartwarming celebration turned to panic as the woman slipped in the snow and fell 650ft over the cliff-edge.
In an effort to save his new fiancée, the man leaped out in an effort to grab her, but he also lost his footage and was sent tumbling over the edge with her.
Fortunately, the pair survived, with the woman landing on a mound of snow that had covered a frozen lake. Additionally, the man was left hanging on for his life, after plunging 50ft.
The alarm was raised after a passer-by spotted the woman.
A rescue helicopter was then scrambled and sent to the cliff edge to find the man, who was still hanging on for dear life.
A police officer who was present at the incident told reporters:
"The two were extremely lucky! He flew 15 meters through the air. The woman fell 200 meters over rocky terrain.
"Had it not been for snow, it would have turned out very differently."
Sadly the couple didn't get away totally unscathed. After being transported to a nearby hospital, the man was diagnosed with a vertebrate fracture.
It may not sound like the most romantic proposal, but how many people out there can say that their partner would literally fall off a cliff for them.
I, for one, cannot wait to hear the Best Man speech.
But that wasn't the only disastrous proposal of 2020 (it is 2020 after all).
Earlier this year, a couple went viral after their boat proposal ended up looking like a Three Stooges sketch.
Take a look at the hilarious proposal fail in the video below:
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After popping the million-dollar question, the couple went to embrace when, all of a sudden, the bride-to-be accidentally nudged the boat's throttle in her excitement, knocking her over and sending her fiancé into the drink with a swift kick to the face.
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