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‘Hero’ father drowns saving his 12-year-old son from rip current at popular beach destination, family says

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Jason DeGray died a “hero,” drowning in the Atlantic Ocean after plunging into a vicious rip current to save his son at a popular beach destination, his wife said. A good Samaritan who rushed from the sand to help was also killed, even as the child was pulled to safety.

The man, a father of three from Windsor Locks, Connecticut, reached his son Bryce and pulled the 12-year-old to safety at Cocoa Beach before the current swept him out to sea on April 15, his wife told the Connecticut Post.

DeGray “was a hero and an amazing dad and partner,” his grieving widow, Meagan DeGray, told the local outlet.

“He was a great father,” she said. “He did everything for his kids. He was such a hard worker.”

MAN, WOMAN KILLED IN RIP CURRENT AS LIFEGUARD SHORTAGE LEAVES DANGER ZONES IN BEACH DESTINATION

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The tragedy unfolded at popular Cocoa Beach when authorities were called to a water emergency involving four people.

Two of the people affected, DeGray and 34-year-old Ebony Mount, a stranger from Ohio, were transported to a hospital but died, police said.

“The Cocoa Beach Police Department extends its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones affected by this tragic loss,” the department said in a release.

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Meagan DeGray explained that she was with the couple’s youngest child at a nearby Airbnb when the accident unfolded, telling the Connecticut Post that it was “super traumatic” not being there.

“Jason hated the beach,” the widow said. “He went in because his son was struggling.”

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DeGray, according to his obituary, was a “die-hard” Las Vegas Raiders fan and spent 25 years working in the flooring industry.

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“He grew up with a strong sense of loyalty to family and friends, a trait that defined his life,” the obituary says. “His children Bailey, Bryce, and Brynn were the center of his world, and he cherished every moment spent with them.”

According to the National Weather Center, the Florida coast – from south of Palm Coast to Miami – is identified as a high risk for rip currents. 

“Conditions are starting to subside, making the ocean a lot more calm or appearing to look more calm. But those surf conditions have caused significant damage to the sandbars causing flash rip currents,” Brevard County Ocean Rescue Chief Eisen Witcher said.

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“It’s very fast, it’s very unexpected, and you can lose your footing very quickly,” he said. “We watch, we try to prevent that as much as we possibly can in our life-guarded areas. Outside of a life-guarded area, it’s very difficult for people from out of town or tourists to know or understand or what to do.”

The chief said that the nearest lifeguard was 3/4 of a mile away at the time of the emergency.

Right now, we are actively recruiting for more lifeguards. We have been for the better part of two or three months now,” Witcher said, explaining that they have a tryout this weekend. “We’d like to see at least 45 more [lifeguards].

In situations where there is no nearby lifeguard, calling 911 is your best bet, he said. 

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PGA Tour player goes shirtless in New Orleans, fails at miracle shot from water

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It’s highly unlikely that Michael Brennan will be the only 24-year-old man to take his shirt off in public in New Orleans on Thursday, but he will be the only one to do so who has a PGA Tour victory under his belt.

During the opening round of this week’s Zurich Classic, a team event on Tour played at TPC Louisiana, Brennan and teammate Johnny Keefer began on the back nine and got things rolling early, getting to 4-under through their opening six holes.

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After back-to-back pars on the 16th and 17th holes, the duo arrived at the Par 5 closing hole, which is when things got messy.

Brennan found the greenside pond with his second shot, but after getting eyes on his golf ball just off the bank inside the water hazard, he elected to try to play it instead of taking a drop.

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Taking such a risk is a perk when you’re playing in a team event, and with Keefer in Position A, Brennan said, why not? So, he took off his shirt and attempted to hit his golf ball out of the hazard. Unfortunately, he didn’t manage to pull off the miracle shot. He did get his golf ball in the air, but only for it to find the water even further.

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Players taking their shirts off before hitting a shot out of a water hazard is rare, but it does happen at least a handful of times per season. It’s certainly an odd enough occasion that if you are presented with an opportunity to hit a miracle shot, you have to take advantage in a setting like the Zurich Classic.

Brennan having six-pack abs and possessing what appears to be about 2.8 percent body fat probably made his decision to go tarps off that much easier.

The Brennan-Keefer duo fired a very solid 11-under 61 on Thursday in the best-ball format.

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Trump border czar Tom Homan wants Pope Leo XIV to ride along with ICE agents: ‘They don’t understand’

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President Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, is inviting the head of the world’s largest religious group to join U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on a ride-along in an American city.

While speaking at a Turning Point USA panel on Wednesday, Homan, who has identified himself as a “lifelong Catholic,” confirmed he would like Pope Leo XIV to join federal officers for a ride-along because “They’re talking about something they don’t understand.”

This comes amid an ongoing feud between the pope and the Trump administration over immigration policy and the conflict in Iran. While maintaining that “every country has a right to determine who and how and when people enter,” Leo has criticized the administration’s interior immigration enforcement as “extremely disrespectful, to say the least.” In response, President Donald Trump has criticized the pope as “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy.” Vice President JD Vance, who is also Catholic, has suggested that “in some cases it would be best for the Vatican to stick to matters of morality.”

However, Homan, who oversees Trump’s border security efforts, has taken a different approach. Asked on the panel Wednesday whether he was inviting the pope to participate in a ride-along with ICE, he responded emphatically, “Yes.”

“I will sit down and talk to him,” he said. “Because they’re talking about something that they don’t understand.”

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Homan said, “I’ll explain to them what happened under the Biden administration. An open border is the most inhumane thing you can do.”

He went on to rip into former President Joe Biden and former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over their handling of the border from 2021 to 2025. He said the previous administration used tax dollars to provide illegal immigrants with transportation, lodging, and work authorization.

“When you make that promise to the whole world, the most vulnerable people will give their life savings to the cartels to make that dangerous journey,” said Homan.

“The most humane thing you can do,” he said, “is secure the border.”

“President Trump has illegal immigration down 96.7 percent … When 97 percent less people are coming, how many women aren’t being raped? How many children aren’t dying? How many pounds of fentanyl is not getting in to kill Americans? How many known suspected terrorists aren’t making it into the United States?” he asked.

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Homan has previously gone on the record on the administration’s spat with the Vatican, saying, “I welcome discussion with any of them, because they don’t understand illegal immigration is not a victimless crime.”

Speaking outside the White House earlier this month, he told reporters, “If they wore my shoes for 40 years, and talked to a 9-year-old girl that got raped multiple times, or stood in the back of a tractor trailer with 19 dead aliens at my feet, including a 5-year-old boy that baked to death, if they understood the atrocities that happened on the open border, I think their opinion would change.”

“Human traffickers are out of business, right? The cartels are going bankrupt because of that secure border. I wish they’d understand that,” he lamented. “Because if they did, I think they’d have a different opinion.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Holy See for comment.

HOMAN WARNS SPANBERGER BLOCKING ACCESS TO VIRGINIA JAILS COULD FORCE MORE ICE STREET OPERATIONS: ‘DO THE JOB’

While maintaining “I have no fear of the Trump administration,” the Roman pontiff has emphasized that the feud with the president has been overblown.

“Much of what has been written since then has been more commentary on commentary, trying to interpret what has been said,” he has said. “It was looked at as if I was trying to debate, again, the president, which is not my interest at all.”

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WWE star Seth Rollins storms off NFL Network set after Kyle Brandt razzing

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WWE star Seth Rollins has had a tough week.

He lost his WrestleMania 42 match against Gunther after a brutal ambush from Bron Breakker, and on “Monday Night Raw,” Breakker ambushed him again. It has been rough for “The Visionary” and on Thursday he didn’t appear to be in the mood for any teasing.

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Rollins was a guest on “Good Morning Football” ahead of Thursday night’s NFL Draft.

NFL Network host Kyle Brandt began to needle Rollins about which is more difficult, “Performing at 39 or playing in the NFL at 42?” Brandt was adamant that seventh-round draft picks going into the league can “go off the top rope.”

Rollins was perplexed.

“By the way, half the roster, Seth, is in their late 30s, early 40s. NFL at 42 is like Ric Flair in his bleepin’ 60s. We’re talking about a real sport, not predetermined. Big-time hits, 22 people,” Brandt said. “I figured out what it is with Seth. I just figured it out.

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“You’re a little nervous because it’s Night 1 of the draft and you know that next year you’ll be Night 1 only at WrestleMania. And there’s a symmetry there for you and I think I finally tapped into it.

Rollins was flabbergasted.

“You know what? You’re right. I don’t really appreciate it,” he said.

Rollins got up and tossed the “Terrible Towel” at Brandt and walked off the set.

The former champion has been a part of NFL coverage over the last few years on the NFL Network and Netflix. Rollins is a massive Chicago Bears fan.

Brandt appeared to be welcoming before Rollins’ appearance on the show. But it seemed clear he struck a chord with the WWE star.

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