LOCAL NEWS

Wave off Oak Island breaks Raleigh man's neck, killing father of 6

Posted 2:27 p.m. Saturday
Updated 4:23 p.m. yesterday

OAK ISLAND, N.C. — A Raleigh man died Friday after an intense wave hit him at Oak Island, his family said.

Lee Dingle was in the ocean playing with his children when a wave forced his head to the ground, his wife said on social media.

His neck broke, and then his throat swelled, depriving his brain of oxygen.
....

Durham man dies in attempt to rescue children at Wrightsville Beach

Posted July 15

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, N.C. — A Durham man died while trying to rescue children in the water off Wrightsville Beach on Sunday.

According to town officials, emergency workers were unable to resuscitate 35-year-old Johnny Lee Vann Jr. after he was pulled from the water.

Emergency crews were dispatched to the vicinity of Beach Access 43 shortly after 4 p.m.

Eyewitnesses told officials that Vann was attempting to rescue several of his children from the water when he began to experience trouble.

"We came from church and we went to the beach to have fun. We wound up having a tragedy," said Dawn Vann, Johnny Lee Vann Jr.'s wife.

Vann entered the water to pull his children from trouble in the water.
....