Man, woman dead, child survives water rescue off St. Simons Island

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — STORY: Teen dies after being pulled from water in St. Johns County | Friend of drowning victim: 'I salute you. You are a Brunswick hero'

Two people have died after being in distress in the water off St. Simons Island near Massengale Park on Sunday evening.

At approximately 6:20 p.m. Sunday, Glynn County police received a call of three beachgoers needing assistance at St. Simons Island.

Gregory Grant, 39, of Brunswick, went into the water to help a woman and a child who were struggling to get back to shore, according to a news release from the Glynn County Police Department.

The woman, 34-year-old Aleisha Rankin of Jesup, Ga., and the toddler child were able to make it back to land, but Grant never resurfaced.

Rankin was transported to Southeast Georgia Health System - Brunswick Campus in critical condition, where she later died. Police say the toddler is in good condition, but could not confirm the child's relation to Rankin.

Several agencies, including the Glynn County Police and Fire Departments, Emergency Management, Search and Recovery, U.S. Coast Guard, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and Sea Tow worked into the night searching for Grant. Boats, drones, and helicopters were used in the search.

Grant's body was spotted in the water at 7:30 a.m. by family members, the release said.

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Cox Media Group