A Texas mother has recounted the devastating moment she tried to save her three young children who died after falling through an icy pond during a brutal winter storm.
Cheyenne Hangaman told local TV station Fox4 that she “just couldn’t save” the boys – aged 6, 8, and 9 – who had wandered onto a frozen pond behind a friend’s house in Fannin County, which is near the Oklahoma border, on Monday. She was alerted to the incident by the boys’ sister, who rushed to find help.
“I start running to the pond and I jump in and try to save them – I also try to keep myself alive because the water is freezing,” Hangaman told FOX 4. “As soon as I jump in, I’m like locked.”
“I couldn’t really do nothing,” Hangaman said. “It was just one of me and three of them. And they all needed me at one time and I couldn’t – I just couldn’t save them.”
Hangaman said she had warned her boys to stay away from the pond, but her youngest stepped onto the ice anyway and fell. His brothers rushed to his rescue – and got behind him.
“That’s how they all ended up there,” she said.
A Texas mother has recounted the heartbreaking moment she tried to save her three children who died after falling into an icy pond (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Hangaman said a bystander — the head football coach at Bonham High School — heard the chaos, ran to the scene and threw a rope to pull her to safety.
Multiple agencies in the surrounding area also responded, according to a news release from the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office.
With the help of a neighbor, first responders pulled the two older boys from the frigid water, provided medical aid and took them to hospital by ambulance. The youngest was recovered after an extensive search in a pond.
“All three children were pronounced dead,” the release said.
The brothers fell into a private pond near the Oklahoma border on Monday, the Fannin County Sheriff’s Office said (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Through tears, Hangaman shared heartfelt memories of her boys’ vibrant personalities and favorite passions.
“My oldest, EJ, didn’t care about anything but football and getting haircuts,” she said. “Caleb’s personality was out of this world. He was the sweetest soul I ever met. And Howard, he was just goofy. He loved to party. He was tough.”
A FOX 4 anchor said Hangaman shared her tragic experience in the hope that other parents will pay attention to the dangers of snowy conditions. A GoFundMe has been set up to help cover funeral expenses. It has raised more than $60,000 as of Tuesday evening.
The sinking occurred amid winter storm Fern, which lashed much of the United States, causing more than two dozen deaths and leaving thousands without power.