A Heroic Act

According to his father, Shivy Brooks, Bryce shouted for help — not for himself, but for the children he was trying to save. In the struggle against the current, he was pulled under. Family friend Charles “Uncle Chuck” Johnson II dove in to rescue him, but was also overcome by the water.

Both were eventually pulled from the surf and airlifted to a hospital, but despite desperate efforts, they did not survive.

Community in Mourning

At Maynard Jackson High School, classmates honored Bryce with a balloon release, remembering him as a young man of kindness and promise. His mother, Crystal Brooks, said that in saving others, Bryce “stepped into manhood,” expressing deep pride even in the midst of unbearable grief.

Bryce was an honor roll student, a music lover, a member of his school’s fashion club, and a devoted big brother