Derrick Moore, 47, got the child to safety before a rip current pulled him underwater after lifeguards had gone off duty.
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — A Georgia teacher died after rescuing a young girl caught in a rip current off Myrtle Beach, where police said he brought the child to safety before the current pulled him underwater on the evening of Aug. 7.
Derrick Moore, 47, of Loganville, Georgia, was identified by Horry County Chief Deputy Coroner Tamara Willard. Myrtle Beach police said officers responded at about 7:53 p.m. near 10th Avenue South after receiving a report involving a swimmer in trouble. Moore entered the ocean to help the girl, who had been struggling in a rip current. He succeeded in getting her to safety but disappeared after being pulled underwater, authorities said.
Police, firefighters and the U.S. Coast Guard took part in the search for Moore. His body was recovered the following morning near 11th Avenue South, according to police. Authorities said the rescue happened after lifeguards had gone off duty. Reports reviewed through Aug. 12 did not include a public update from police on the girl’s condition, although authorities said she survived the initial incident.
Moore’s family said he did not know the girl before entering the water to help her. His daughter told WRAL that Moore was a father of four and said his family was heartbroken by his death. The circumstances have drawn attention not only to the rescue but also to the life Moore had built as an educator and coach in metro Atlanta.
Moore worked as a health and physical education teacher at Rockbridge Elementary School in the DeKalb County School District. He previously taught at Jolly Elementary School. The district described him as a dedicated educator who cared deeply about his students and said his work had an impact on students, families, colleagues and the communities he served.
Sherry Weeks, a colleague at Rockbridge Elementary, remembered Moore as an energetic and consistently positive presence at school. She said he was also a football coach and was often among the first people she saw in the morning. Describing how students and staff viewed him, Weeks said, “He was our hero.”
The school district said counselors and other support staff would be available at Rockbridge and Jolly elementary schools as students and employees grieve Moore’s death. CBS News Atlanta reported that parents also remembered him as an educator who regularly arrived early, stayed late and greeted children enthusiastically as they came to school.
Moore had also been an athlete before becoming an educator. CBS News Atlanta reported that he graduated from Samford University in Alabama in 2001, where he played football and competed in track and field. The university later remembered him publicly following his death.
The Myrtle Beach Police Department has continued to describe the case as under investigation. Authorities had not publicly released additional details about the rescued girl’s condition in the reports reviewed through Aug. 12, and details about funeral or memorial services for Moore had not been announced.
Author note: Last updated August 12, 2026.