A rural North Texas community is grieving after three young brothers Howard, 6; Kaleb, 8; and E.J., 9 — died Monday when they fell through ice on a frozen pond during an intense winter storm sweeping much of the United States.
The boys were staying at a friend’s house across the street from the private pond north of Bonham, near the Oklahoma border, when the tragedy unfolded just after they walked onto the icy surface.
According to the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office and local media reports, the youngest boy, Howard, fell through the thin ice first. His older brothers jumped in to help him — and moments later, their mother, Cheyenne Hangaman, ran across the ice and jumped into the frigid water in a desperate attempt to save her sons.
“I tried to save them while also trying to keep myself alive,” Hangaman told The Associated Press. “As soon as I jumped in, I locked up. I couldn’t do anything.” She described watching her children struggle in the icy water and being unable to reach them all.
A neighbor and a local high school football coach both tried to assist in the rescue. A neighbor ultimately threw a rope to Hangaman and helped pull her from the pond. Meanwhile, first responders and neighbors pulled the two older boys from the water; they were given emergency medical care and transported by ambulance, but later died at the hospital. Howard, who did not resurface initially, was recovered after an extensive search and also pronounced dead.
The Bonham Independent School District — where the boys were students — canceled classes Monday and Tuesday due to extreme cold and icy conditions and released a letter expressing deep sorrow over the loss. Counselors are being made available to students and staff affected by the tragedy.
A GoFundMe page has been launched to assist the family with expenses as they cope with the unimaginable loss of their three sons.
The deaths are among dozens being linked to hazardous winter conditions across several states, underscoring the dangers posed by ice-covered water during deep freezes.
Residents described the boys as “bubbly” and full of life — personalities their mother remembers fondly even amid her grief.
The community continues to rally around the family in the wake of a tragedy that has touched hearts far beyond Bonham.
