A man named Horace Gilbert, 76, drowned on Lake Eufaula Monday night after his friend called rescue units with a report Gilbert fell in the water and did not resurface.
Emergency crews were on the scene for nearly 12 hours before Houston County Sheriff’s Office divers found his body.
Reports say Gilbert was bringing an anchor up to drive the boat back to the boat ramp when he lost balance and fell headfirst into the water.
Houston County Rescue said the water was 36 feet deep, meaning divers couldn’t see anything underwater. Rescue units had to use underwater sonar to locate Gilbert.
Family said Gilbert was an avid fisherman, an active church member and family man.
COTTONWOOD – BIRMINGHAM: On Wednesday Brantley Bradley, his mother Emily Fails and myself ( Rickey Stokes ) will travel to Birmingham for pre-op at 3 PM at Children’s Hospital.
Brantley, age 12, will have surgery at Children’s Hospital on Thursday for his shunt. In what was a routine follow up recently, the surgeon at Children’s Hospital said the shunt was not draining as it should. And he said surgery would be required in order to repair the shunt. This was a shock to all of us, especially Brantley.
After we left Brantley said he had prayed that he would never have to undergo the surgeries again. This surgery will not be as bad as the 2020 surgery where he was in the hospital for 11 days. He has hydrocephalus. Diagnosed by Dr. Fred Pich in 2020 who saved Brantley’s life. Dr. Pich ordered him flown to Birmingham. Survival Flight arrived at Southeast Health. Pilcher Ambulance transported him to the helicopter pad and he was flown to Birmingham.
Brantley was in excellent care. Dr. Pich was in our wedding ( Rickey and Marsha ) and was on duty in the emergency room and made the diagnosis and immediate flight to Birmingham. On Survival Flight was Mark Reynold who care for Brantley. Mark was best man in our wedding ( Rickey and Marsha ). So we knew he was in great care between Fred Pich and Mark Reynolds.
This was during COVID so only his mom, Emily Fails and his dad, Mike Bradley, were allowed in the hospital. But his step dad, Joshua Fails, his mom Kay Fails, his sister and brother in law Jason and Stephanie McCorkle and Stratton were there for the 11 days in the motel two blocks away.
The shunt has slowed Brantley down some. He can not do contact sports. His Uncle Spencer has him in golf and Ryan Benton is the golf pro teaching him the right way at golf. His dad, Mike Bradley, step dad Josh Fails, along with Seth Goree and Will Benny are teaching him to bass fish.
After the doctor told him of surgery Brantley missed school because he was throwing up. It was his nerves. Today we went to Ashford where John cut his hair and shaved the back of his head in preparation for the surgery.
Brantley is in the 6th grade at Cottonwood School. They have been WONDERFUL to him. He was initially raised at Memphis Baptist Church where he grew up loving Jim Tate, Pastor. He is now at Watermark Church in Ashford where he loves Chris in the youth, who baptized him and Senior Pastor Todd Thorpe.
This morning ( Wednesday ) Brantley’s Uncle Spencer carried him to play 9 holes at the Highland’s before we left for Birmingham. Brantley wanted to play one last time before his surgery. So Uncle Spencer to the rescue!!!
Brantley is the son of Emily and Josh Fails, dad is Mike Bradley. His grandparents are Rickey and Marsha Stokes, Kay and Chip Fails, and Emily King ( John ). His uncles are John Stokes and Spencer Stokes and Mike Bradley’s family.
Please lift Brantley and the surgeons up as they perform the surgery. Please pray for no pain for Brantley and fast healing.
The FBI Citizens Academy finished its first class with an all-star lineup of graduates, the class meant to teach citizens about the structure of FBI operations and investigations.
The class was the first of its kind in Dothan, 20 people meeting regularly for a seven-week program.
Timothy O’Malley is the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Mobile Division, and he said the class had filled his entire department on the other side of the state with a great feeling, his home office pleased about the engagement from the Dothan class.
The class studied FBI investigations and learned more about previous cases, finding out more about how the high-profile agency goes about operations.
“It’s kind of a way that we share what we do, and to kind of take away a little bit of mystery about the FBI,” he said. “We want to pull back the curtain and let (citizens) see what we’re all about.”
He said citizens are recruited to attend the class — including those who may be skeptical of police work.
The people recruited are often influential leaders in the community. Some of the names from this graduating class include Dothan City Commissioners Aristotle Kirkland and John Ferguson, Houston County Emergency Management Agency Director Mark Powell and Dothan Police Foundation Chairman Wayne Palmer.
“I have not seen a single case where someone hasn’t walked away from class with a greater appreciation for going to work with law enforcement officers,” O’Malley said.
Some of the lessons included teaching on white collar crime, threats, violent crime, domestic and international terrorism, and crime scene investigations.
Dothan City Commissioner Aristotle Kirkland mentioned the fact the city had a great facility in the Wiregrass Public Safety Center on Ennis Road, calling the facility “top notch” and saying he believes more national law enforcement will be back.
He said the experience was “absolutely incredible,” saying he took away lessons he could apply with his job as one of the top men for the city of Dothan.
“What’s exciting is this is the first year that this can start some collaborations with the community, so the next big thing would be to get people more involved for the next class,” he said.
Dothan Police Foundation Chairman Wayne Palmer also came away with a greater appreciation for law enforcement.
“I think this is going to make us appreciate and notice the things that go on. Some of the stories they’ve told us about some events and how they handle it, how their crisis people work with the victims to help them, those kind of things you don’t forget,” he said.
He stressed the fact people in law enforcement were normal people trying to do their jobs.
“They’re doing their job, and they take it serious, and every one of them without question love what they do,” he said. “They’re common people that lead.”
