Officials say Ronald “Rock” Earnest White, 61, drowned about 6 p.m. Sunday after he jumped into Lake Robinson to try to save his 4-year-old granddaughter, who fell out of a boat.
White had taken his daughter-in-law and three young grandchildren out on the lake to fish Sunday afternoon.
According Greenville County Deputy Coroner Barry Wright, when the girl fell out of the boat, White jumped in the water. His daughter-in-law threw life jackets in the water and White was struggling to get one on the girl when he got into trouble.
The boat was about 100 feet off shore in Lake Robinson, authorities said.
The girl’s mother then jumped into the water and got her daughter. She was able to push the boat back to shore.
Dive teams found White’s body about 7 p.m.