NICEVILLE, Fla. — A 7-year-old boy who went missing while paddleboarding near Rocky Creek in Bluewater Bay was found safe after a large-scale search involving Eglin Air Force Base and multiple local emergency agencies.
The child, identified as Greyson, reportedly disappeared on June 2, prompting his mother, Devin Hardy, to call 911 in a state of panic. Lindsey Grabbe, a dispatcher with Eglin’s emergency control center, answered the call and immediately pushed out an alert to mobilize first responders.
Personnel from Eglin’s fire, medical, and marine patrol teams responded to the area, along with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and park rangers. In total, nine boats from four agencies participated in the water search.
Senior Airman Nicolas Grigsby of the 96th Security Forces Squadron was first on the scene and joined the family in the search.
Master Sgt. David Jeghers of the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron helped coordinate the joint response, working with other agencies to establish a command center at Frank Gannon State Park and expand the search by land, water, and air. Life Flight and OCSO helicopters joined the operation, while a second Eglin marine unit stood by with an unmanned aerial system for overhead surveillance.
“This was one of those calls that reminds you exactly why we do this job,” said ECC Supervisor Todd Lawrence.
“Everyone played their part, from the dispatchers, first responders to the marine and security forces patrols.”
Grabbe, the Eglin dispatcher, remained on the line with Ms Hardy for over an hour, offering constant reassurance and helping guide the response effort.
“When I heard Greyson had been gone for so long, my heart just sank,” said Ms Grabbe.
“I’m a mom myself, and I could only imagine what she was going through. I just kept trying to reassure her and focus on getting as much information as possible to the team.”
After about two hours, the child was located more than a mile and a half from where he vanished. He was reportedly uninjured.
“This was a very successful response to what could have been a tragic outcome and showcased an amazing joint effort to a unique and challenging response,” said Mr Jeghers.
In the days that followed, leadership from the 96th SFS and 96th CES publicly recognized their team’s efforts, noting the strong partnership and seamless coordination between on-base and local responders.
Eglin Air Force Base spans three counties and maintains active relationships with regional emergency services. Joint training exercises are said to be common to ensure communication and coordination in critical incidents.
“This successful rescue highlights the critical importance of emergency preparedness, rapid response, and strong interagency collaboration across Northwest Florida,” added Mr Lawrence.
