A Kentucky teenager who gave generously to flood victims for three days inexplicably passed away after feeling unwell and became the 38th casualty of the tragedy.
Aaron “Mick” Crawford, 18, complained of weariness and arm numbness after he got home from his recovery attempts.
After being put on a ventilator, he was subsequently flown to University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington.
However, over the next four days, Crawford’s health worsened, and he passed away last Friday.
Crawford was an organ donor, hence the coroner is unable to conduct an autopsy, so the cause of death is now unclear.
Friends and relatives recalled the high school wrestler and football player as a lovely individual with an admirable dedication to his Christian faith.
His sister Rachel stated, “He used to make me feel bad because he would stop and pray for individuals he didn’t know anyplace.”
He was the kind of Christian to whom I shall always strive. He was the kind of guy I’ll always try to be, she said.
When Kentucky and parts of the Midwest were battered by heavy rain and raging flooding last month, Crawford lost no time in stepping up to the plate.
Perry County Sheriff Joe Engle claimed the boy was smart and “strong as a bear” and added, “As soon as we realised we had a huge problem going on here, he messaged me.”
I don’t know whether it had stopped pouring yet when he messaged me on Facebook.
He stated: “searching for directions. Trying to find out how to assist, “‘, said Engle, Crawford’s friend and pastor, to CBS.
In a series of tweets, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear referred to Crawford’s passing as “another devastating loss for Eastern Kentucky” and said that he will grieve his “compassion and generosity for his neighbours.”
Crawford’s funeral services are set on Thursday, August 10, and they will be funded by a relief effort Beshear created for the devastated communities.
Crawford, a football and wrestling team captain and upcoming junior at Knott County Central, wanted to work for the government as a conservation officer.
The Courier-Journal was informed by Rachel that “He had no enemies and loathed no one.”
He lived most closely to the life of Jesus that I have ever encountered.
Crawford’s mother, Ronda, expressed her love and lost her heart in a Facebook post that stated, “I miss him already but he is home now.”
Tonight, Beshear has once again issued a flood warning for the region due to “storms moving across the area that may generate scattered incidents of flash flooding.”
Homes in the Appalachian area were ripped off their foundations as mudslides flowed into the valleys, causing bridges to collapse and isolating people.
Within 24 hours, several eastern Kentucky locations reported getting more than eight inches (20 cm) of rain.
A startling 20 feet of water surged to the North Fork of the Kentucky River near Whitesburg in a matter of hours, breaking the previous record of 14.7 feet.
Beshear lamented that they would be “finding dead for weeks” due to the flooding’s severity but reassured Kentuckians that “we’re going to work to go door to house, try to locate, again, as many individuals as we can.”
Many people have been forced to leave their houses, while others are left without essentials like water or power.
The flooding in Kentucky has been declared a disaster by President Joe Biden, authorising federal assistance to support regional and local relief operations.
In lieu of his prepared comments, Biden spoke spontaneously after meeting with flood-affected families and learning about volunteer efforts.
He commended the people of Kentucky for their spirit and promised that the government will support them.
“I swear to you. Along with the state, county, and city, we will continue to be part of the federal government.
Not a joke, we’re staying till everyone has returned to their original positions,’ he said as he entered the room with the microphone in hand.