Oklahoma City Council Salutes Petty Officer's Bravery During River Rescue

Sea Power, Apr 2004

Navy League Councils Recognize Heroes, Past and Present

The Oklahoma City Council honored a Navy petty officer assigned to nearby Tinker Air Force for his bravery in rescuing a child from a submerged vehicle following a January traffic accident.

Council President Norm Tindall presented Petty Officer 3rd Class Wesley Hollingsworth with a "Citation of Recognition" during a ceremony at the council's quarterly luncheon, Jan. 22 at the Petroleum Club in Oklahoma City.

"Through his selfless bravery, and at great danger to himself... Hollingsworth saved a young child from certain death," said Tindall, a retired Navy commander, in presenting the citation.

Hollingsworth, 23, of Norman, OkIa., is with Navy Strategic Communications Wing One assigned to Tinker.

According to Tindall and local news accounts, Hollingsworth was traveling home on the evening of Jan. 16, when he came upon an accident at the junction of lnterstates 35 and 40 in Oklahoma City where a vehicle had plunged into the North Canadian River. Hollingsworth dove in and swam to the vehicle, which was resting in eight feet of icy water.

With an ax, he broke out a rear window and entered the car. Once inside, he released the child, 7-year-old Deondre Patterson, from his car seat and swam to the surface with him. he pulled the boy to shore where medical personnel were waiting.

Hollingsworth then re-entered the river, swam back to the submerged car and attempted to rescue the boy's mother, 27-year-old Tameka Patterson, but was forced to abandon the effort when he was overcome by hypothermia. he ended up having to be pulled by rope from the river by emergency personnel.

Police divers recovered Tameka Patterson's body from the vehicle several hours later. Sadly, Deondre Patterson also died 10 days later from injuries sustained in the accident. he had been underwater for approximately four minutes before Hollingsworth pulled him out and had remained in a coma since being rescued.

Hollingsworth noted at the citation ceremony that he was humbled by the public attention he was receiving. "I don't deserve all this attention. I was just doing what I hope someone would do for me," Hollingsworth said, according to a report in the Ada Evening News.

Hollingsworth has been nominated for the Navy/Marine Corps Life Saving Medal, Tindall said.