‘I’ve got to go get help:’ Friend shares details of attempted rescue of man who died in Pender County

LEA ISLAND, NC (WWAY) — A friend involved in the attempted rescue of a man who died in Pender County is sharing more about what happened this weekend at Lea Island.

Life changed in an instant for the family and friends of Jonathan Shackelford who were spending the day near Lea Island in Pender County on Saturday.

A friend, who asked to remain anonymous, shared what happened that day in the water.

“As we approached the water, we saw Jon and Lucas. They were about 50 yards away from where my husband was on the sandbar. And he, um, look to be, um…he didn’t look in distress to us so we were in no hurry out there,” she said.

Jonathan was in the water with his 7-year-old son Lucas. Before she went to meet her husband on the sandbar, the friend and the 14-year-old daughter of Jonathan’s girlfriend Marcie made their way to Jonathan and Lucas. When they got to the father and son, the friend said she knew immediately there was a medical emergency.

“He wasn’t moving, he wasn’t flailing,  he wasn’t kicking but somehow he was able to keep his head above water and Lucas, his 7-year-old son, was on his back,” she said. “They kind of looked like they were doing a piggyback ride.”

She says the 14-year-old went to grab Jonathan and Lucas but got swept away in a rip current. Eventually, she managed to get out of it.

“At this point, I looked at Jon in the eyes and I said, ‘I’m going to get Lucas out, I’m going to get Lucas out but I’ve got to go get help,'” she said.

The friend and young girl tried to rescue Lucas but struggled. That’s when her husband jumped into action as the 14-year-old started screaming.

It took the friend’s husband and two other bystanders to bring 7-year-old Lucas to shore.

She says when they brought Jonathan to the shore, people worked to revive him for about 30 minutes before he was pronounced dead on the scene.

Lucas is okay and is now recovering at home in Raleigh with his mother.

About a week or so before the incident, the friend says Jonathan saved his son’s life by giving him the Heimlich maneuver as he was choking.

“It’s almost the second time in a month that he saved his son’s life. He was always very selfless and he was always, he was ALWAYS smiling,” she said. “He always had a positive attitude and he loved Marcie more than…I mean, I haven’t seen someone love someone like that in a really long time.”

The friend expressed her gratitude to the community — how they never hesitated to help the day of the incident and how they continue to wrap them in support.

She says people are working to reward the 14-year-old girl for her heroic efforts to help save Jonathan and Lucas.

Through the tragedy, she says she hopes people will keep water safety at the front of their minds when they spend time outdoors this summer.

“I just wish for anything that people were just more aware of how fast this happens,” she said. “It was a beautiful, beautiful day and everyone was having a wonderful time. It’s like you snap your fingers and your whole world changes.”

The community is planning a vigil for Jonathan in Pender County this weekend. When details are finalized, WWAY will share an update.