Policeman’s fiance drowns, devastating NC community. ‘They both adored each other’
A community is mourning the death of a 27-year-old woman who was engaged to a police officer in North Carolina.
Hannah Maria Walker drowned Friday, April 21, while on a boating escapade with her family, McClatchy News previously reported. Walker was with her 5-year-old son, 5-week-old daughter, a family friend and her fiance during the incident.
Walker’s fiance was later identified by the Asheville Police Department as senior officer Joey McKee, an APD spokesperson told McClatchy News in an email.
“Our hearts go out to McKee family during this difficult time,” the APD spokesperson added in an email to McClatchy News.
McKee’s community started a fundraiser to support the officer.
“The unexpected death of Hannah has left the McKee family with a tremendous sense of loss and sadness,” the family’s GoFundMe said. “Hannah was a devoted full-time stay-at-home mom. Joey, while grieving, now carries with him the overwhelming responsibility of being the sole provider for his family.”
Now law enforcement colleagues are sharing their condolences online for McKee and have already helped raise more than $22,000 for the grieving family as of May 1.
“Joey and I have been together from the very start of our time at APD,” Amy Stapanowich, a family friend, wrote on the Asheville Police Department’s Facebook page. “He’s always been such a tough guy-but I’ve watched that guy transform and soften with the love of Hannah…They balanced each other out…They both adored each other, and those near them knew it full well.”
Walker had an asthma attack while swimming with her family at Lake James, McClatchy News reported.
McKee gave her an inhaler, but Walker quickly fell unconscious and was taken back to the boat, which was a challenge given the boat’s size, police told media outlets.
Walker was pronounced dead about 30 minutes after emergency crews attempted life-saving measures, McClatchy News reported.
At least 4,000 people die from drowning every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and drowning is a leading cause of death for children.
Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance said there are tips to help keep you safe in the water, including checking local weather conditions, never swimming alone and choosing the right equipment.
“Don’t hesitate to get out of the water if something doesn’t feel right,” the group said on its website. “Whether it’s that the current is getting rough, rain has started to fall, or your body is just not responding like you would like it to due to fatigue or muscle cramps, then just leave and return to the water another day. It’s always a good thing to trust your instincts.”
This story was originally published May 1, 2023 at 10:31 AM with the headline "Policeman’s fiance drowns, devastating NC community. ‘They both adored each other’."
