Bowling Green mother dies after saving a stranger’s child from drowning

ALVATON, Ky. (WBKO) -A Bowling Green mother died, Friday evening, after rescuing a stranger’s child from drowning at Phil Moore Park’s creek. Sarah Jo Reeder, a single mother raising three children, was visiting the creek in Alvaton with some of her children on June 12 when she jumped in to save a young boy. “She went in the water to try to save the boy and he eventually pulled her down trying to come up,” said Melissa Donovan, who has been friends with Reeder for over 30 years. “And ultimately, that’s how it went down. And a paddle boarder pulled her and the boy out of the water and then got emergency services on the way.” Donovan was not on the scene when it occurred. Reeder was transported to the medical center in Bowling Green, but passed away hours later due to the lack of oxygen flow to her brain. Ashley Flowers, is also a close family friend, and received a phone call from Reeder’s son when it happened. “So I just got home from work and took my shoes off and my phone rang and I looked down and it was Christopher and I was like, my God, what does he need? so I picked it up because he doesn’t call me and he said, you need to come to the hospital. Something’s going to happen with mom,” Flowers said. “So I just got home from work and took my shoes off and my phone rang and I looked down and it was Christopher and I was like, my God, what does he need? so I picked it up because he doesn’t call me and he said, you need to come to the hospital. Something’s going to happen with mom,” Flowers said. Friends say rescue was in character Flowers said, Reeder’s rescue efforts weren’t abnormal. “She would run into a burning building to go after whoever. I mean, it could even be a cat. I don’t know. Not that she doesn’t make great decisions. That’s not even, it’s just her automatic instinct is to help another person out, like to do whatever needs to be done to get the situation fixed or to handle it. And so that was not out of line for her whatsoever. I’m sure she probably never even touched the creek until that time,” Flowers said. Donovan wants to continue spreading awareness to water safety while honoring Reeder’s life. “In honor of her, I would really like to see like some lifesavers down here on ropes maybe because this is not an uncommon occurrence. Somebody falling in, somebody getting swept up. It happens every year down here and every year there’s a conversation about somebody saved somebody from drowning or getting taken down the river or whatever. So I think having some lifesavers down here in honor of her would be a great tribute,” Donovan said. Her funeral will take place Thursday. The family is asking for any donations from the community to cover funeral costs and help care for Reeder’s children. If you would like to donate click here: www.supportnow.org/sarah-reeder-s-funeral-and-children?utm_id=97757_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1dennhavrh0h2 Copyright 2026 WBKO. All rights reserved.