Stunning Details Emerge on How Three Virginia High School Golfers Saved Family from Drowning

Eastern View trio dove into a lake without hesitation, rescuing two adults and a 3-year-old before first responders arrived.

Eastern View High School golfers (from left) Gavin Cain, Andrew Tuggle and Jackson Castro saved a young family from drowning by rescuing you them from Lake Culpeper, after their kayaks overturned, during team tryouts on July 27. | Courtesy of the Culpeper Police Department

Water hazards are designed to challenge golfers, not test their courage.

But for three Virginia high school golfers from Eastern View High School, a routine afternoon of golf tryouts turned into a life-or-death rescue when they abandoned their clubs and dove into a nearby lake to save a young family after a two kayaks overturned.

According to a report by KTVB 7 News, Andrew Tuggle, Jackson Castro and Gavin Cain were trying out for the Eastern View golf team at the Country Club of Culpeper when they heard cries for help coming from Lake Culpeper near the second hole. Within moments, the three teenagers were racing down a steep embankment and into the water to rescue two adults and a three-year-old child struggling to stay afloat.

Golf Tryouts Suddenly Become a Rescue Mission

What had begun as an ordinary day of competition quickly shifted into an emergency.

The golfers were making their way around the course when the sound of screaming caught their attention.

"At first it was just a little boy screaming," Cain told KTVB 7 News.

A family enjoying time on the lake had been thrown into the water after their kayak capsized. According to the report, the three-year-old child was wearing a life jacket, but the two adults were not. The group was struggling in deep water, and every passing second increased the danger.

Without discussing what to do, the three teammates reacted instinctively.

They dropped their golf clubs, sprinted toward the lake and navigated a steep, rocky hillside covered with thorny brush before reaching the shoreline.

Racing Against Time

The teenagers immediately entered the water and swam approximately 50 yards toward the family.

Their first concern was reaching the young child.

"The guy is holding him up, and it's causing him to go underwater," Tuggle told KTVB 7 News, describing the frantic scene as the group approached.

Working together, the three golfers were able to stabilize the situation and guide all three victims safely back to shore before emergency responders arrived.

Only afterward did the magnitude of what had happened begin to sink in.

"The guy actually came up to me and said, 'You saved my life,'" Tuggle recalled.

Humility After Heroics

Despite their actions, the teenagers downplayed their role, instead recognizing how quickly an ordinary day could have ended in tragedy.

"It just shows how much can change in a split second," Castro told KTVB 7 News. "If we weren't there, then their lives would have changed instantly."

Their response reflected the teamwork and composure coaches hope to develop through athletics, qualities that extended well beyond the golf course that afternoon.

Coach Praises Character Over Competition

Eastern View golf coach Patrick Thornhill said the rescue spoke volumes about the character of his players. Rather than celebrating themselves afterward, the teenagers simply wanted to continue their tryout round.

Instead, Thornhill insisted they head home to change into dry clothes. They did and returned within 20 minutes ready to play.

The remarkable rescue wasn't the only positive outcome from the day. All three teenagers successfully earned spots on Eastern View High School's golf team and are preparing for the opening tournament of the 2026 season.