A sunny weekend in Bonham, Texas, turned into a nightmare for one family when three young brothers lost their lives in a frozen pond.
What began as children playing in the snow ended in a tragic chain of events that has left their community in shock.
Mother’s Desperate Warning Ignored
Cheyenne Hangaman, a mother of six, had repeatedly warned her children to stay away from the frozen pond near a friend’s home.
But on Monday, six-year-old Howard decided to test the ice, attempting to “skate” across the pond.
The ice gave way beneath him, plunging him into the freezing water.
In a brave but fatal attempt to save their youngest brother, Howard’s older siblings EJ, 9, and Kaleb, 8, jumped into the icy water.
Hangaman recalls the chaos that followed.
A Mother’s Horrifying Witness
“My daughter ran inside screaming for me,” Hangaman said.
“They were all screaming, asking me to help them. I watched them fight for their lives, struggling to stay above the water.”
In a desperate bid to save them, Hangaman ran across the fragile ice but fell in herself.
She tried to lift each child onto the ice, only to have it break beneath them again and again.
“I kept moving from one to another, but it was just me. I couldn’t save them all alone,” she said.
Neighbors and First Responders Intervene
Help arrived in the nick of time.
A neighbor, hearing the screams, threw a rope to Hangaman and pulled her from the pond.
Emergency responders and another neighbor managed to rescue the two older boys from the water, while Howard was found after an extensive search.
“I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. By then I knew my kids were gone. I had to fight just to survive,” Hangaman shared.
Community Mourns Young Lives Lost
The boys were elementary school students in the Bonham Independent School District.
Classes had already been canceled due to the dangerous conditions brought on by Winter Storm Fern, which blanketed much of the nation in snow and ice while plunging temperatures below freezing.
The district remained closed on Tuesday for safety reasons.
Superintendent Dr. Lance Hamlin addressed families in a heartfelt letter, confirming the boys’ deaths.
“It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we inform our community of the tragic passing of three elementary students,” he wrote.
“We are devastated by this unimaginable loss, and our thoughts are with the family, friends, and all who knew and loved these children.”
Remembering the Boys’ Bright Spirits
Hangaman remembers her sons as lively and full of joy.
“You couldn’t really stop their bubbliness,” she said, highlighting the energy and warmth they brought to those around them.
Even as the storm subsides, a thin layer of ice still blankets the pond, a haunting reminder of the tragedy.
Winter Storm Fern has already claimed at least 32 lives across the affected states, leaving families and communities mourning in its wake.
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