Pascagoula teen going viral on social media after rescuing 4 from river

Moss Point officials honored a 16-year-old Tuesday who rescued four people after a vehicle drove off the Interstate 10 boat launch.

The incident happened early Sunday. Three girls in a passenger car drove off the I-10 boat launch into the Pascagoula River.

Corion Evans, 16, jumped into the water to rescue the girls. Evans also helped a Moss Point police officer who began to struggle in the water after he also jumped in to help.

On Tuesday, Moss Point Mayor Billy Knight and the Board of Aldermen with a certificate of commendation for his good deeds.

Moss Point Police Chief Brandon Ashley called Evans a hero.

“I believe that if he did not decide to risk his own safety it may have turned into (an) … unimaginable tragedy,” Ashley wrote in an email to our media partner, the Sun Herald, “but we are all grateful for Mr. Evans’ selflessness and bravery he displayed by helping rescue the people stranded in the river.”

The story has gone viral, with news outlets all over the country lauding Evans for his quick actions to save the girls and Officer Gary Mercer.

Inside Edition, The Mark White Show and others have posted about Evans’ heroic efforts. And his story has been on The Shade Room on Instagram.

There also has been a Go Fund Me account started for Evans to help him pay for college. As of this morning, more than $6,000 had been raised in the account started by Ashley DeFlanders.

“After reading Corion’s story and speaking with his mom, I’ve set up this GoFundMe to help Corion go to college,” DeFlanders wrote. “His heroic actions saved four lives during the 4th of July weekend. Let’s reward this high school senior’s bravery and selflessness by helping him get to college in August 2023!”