In the rural town of Bonham, Texas, a heartbreaking tragedy unfolded as three young brothers, ages 6, 8, and 9, lost their lives on Monday after falling through the ice of a private pond near the house where they were staying. The unfortunate event occurred amid a sweeping winter storm that has imposed severe cold and hazardous weather conditions across the United States.
The Fannin County Sheriffs Office reported that the boys fell into the icy pond located north of Bonham, a community with about 10,000 residents close to the border with Oklahoma. Emergency responders, with aid from a nearby neighbor, managed to rescue the two older children from the water, but the youngest boy was only recovered after an extensive search operation.
The boys' mother, Cheyenne Hangaman, shared the harrowing details of the incident. She stated that she had cautioned her children not to approach the pond. However, on that morning, her youngest daughter alerted her that her brothers had fallen into the water.
In a desperate attempt to save them, Hangaman tried to reach her sons by crossing the fragile ice but fell into the freezing water herself. She recounted the intense shock to her body caused by the cold and her distress at witnessing her children struggle in the water, crying for help. Despite her efforts to rescue each boy, the shifting ice made it nearly impossible to get them to safety. She described trying to pull the children out and place them on the ice, which continued to crack beneath them.
Fortunately, another man nearby was able to assist by throwing a rope to Hangaman, allowing her to be pulled from the pond. However, by the time help arrived, Hangaman realized her sons had succumbed to the cold waters. She described the overwhelming struggle to breathe and move, recognizing the irrevocable loss of her children.
All three boys were enrolled in elementary school within the Bonham Independent School District. Due to the severe weather, the district had suspended classes on Monday and remained closed on Tuesday as icy roads and frigid temperatures persisted.
Superintendent Lance Hamlin issued a statement expressing sorrow over the tragedy, conveying condolences to the family and the community affected by the boys' deaths. Hangaman fondly remembered her children as very lively and full of energy. The pond, now mostly covered with ice, remains a sobering reminder of the event to neighbors and local residents.
The winter storm has resulted in over 40 fatalities across multiple states, underscoring the widespread impact and dangers presented by the extreme cold. The ongoing hazardous conditions include power outages, icy roadways, and freezing temperatures affecting daily life and safety throughout the region.
Additional contributions to the report came from journalists based in Dallas, Texas, and Concord, New Hampshire, highlighting the storm's broad effects across the country.