PEA RIDGE — Blackhawk football players gathered for a somber meeting Monday morning prior to practice. There, they heard their coaches tell of the death of one of their own.
Dustin Ridenoure, 15, an upcoming sophomore Pea Ridge High School football player, drowned Saturday about 2 p.m.
near Indian Creek in Beaver Lake.
Coach Tony Travis talked privately with the young men, then gave them the option of staying for practice or leaving to work out their grief.
All four school counselors as well as pastors from the community including Al Fowler, AaronMatthews and Michael Smith were on hand Monday to listen and provide support as needed.
“We’ve had a lot of people from the community, churches, staff in the district pitch in and provide,” Rick Neal, high school principal, said. “I’ve been in six districts.
This is the most caring district, bar none, as for caring for its own.
“It’s a very, very caring community,” he said.
Ridenoure was swimming with friends when he went under water, according to Benton County Sheriff’s Office deputy Doug Gay.
Ridenoure and a friend had apparently found a large piece of Styrofoam and were “riding the waves created by boats,” according to the police report.
They had floated out about 20 to 30 feet from shore and tried to swim back, when they went into distress, according to BCSO Capt. Mike Jones.
Brad Isbell, a resident of the area was on a nearby boat dock.
He heard screams and initiallythought the boys were playing.
When he realized they were in trouble, Jones said, he got in his boat and went to the boys where he picked up the one boy who was “struggling.” Then he dove to the bottom of about 20 feet of water to bring up Ridenoure, who was submerged.
Isbell then took him to a nearby dock where a bystander began cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, Gay said.
The second drowning in two and a half weeks in Beaver Lake is the 111th drowning in the history of Beaver Lake, according to ranger Alan Bland, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers.
Bland, who was on the scene, said all emergency personnel performed heroically.
“I was impressed with the response by the agencies and the heroic efforts that everyone took to save this young man,” Bland said.
Emergency personnel from Northeast Benton County, Inspiration Point, Eureka Springs and Grassy Knob responded. Ridenoure was transported to Northwest Medical Center, Bentonville, but efforts to revive him were not successful.
“He was really wellliked by the team. He was a hard worker,” Travis saidof Ridenoure, who was a wide receiver and defensive back. He played on the junior high team last year but had been practicing with the senior high team since the end of football season.
Principal Rick Neal said: “Dustin was a good kid.
I had just worked with him two weeks ago on his schedule - he wanted to take two maths.”
Travis said the family asked that the football players be honorary pallbearers for the funeral, which is set for 10 a.m.
Thursday at Word of Life Fellowship, Bentonville.
An account has been set up at Community First Bank for the Ridenoure family, Neal said.
Ridenoure was the son of Michael Ridenoure of Gateway and the late Julie Ridenoure and stepson of Stephanie Ridenoure.
News, Pages 1 on 06/06/2012