Ex-Richwoods HS Football Player Santonio Wallace, 17, Drowns While Mom Mandra Saves His Brother And Dad Harry Rushes In
Emma Martin
Published May 15, 2026
Ex-Richwoods HS Football Player Santonio Wallace, 17, Drowns While Mom Mandra Saves His Brother And Dad Harry Rushes In
A family beach trip turned tragic for the Wallace family.
April 25, 2026
This article was last updated by Manoj Gadtaula on April 25, 2026
A former Richwoods High School football player, Santonio Wallace, died on April 20 after drowning at a beach near Pensacola, Florida.
He played on the varsity team as both a defensive lineman (DL) and offensive lineman (OL), wearing jersey number 52.
Santonio Wallace got into trouble while swimming in the water east of the Navarre Beach bridge.
Emergency crews from Navarre Beach Fire Rescue, Holly-Navarre Fire Department, and the Midway Fire District searched for him for hours on Sunday evening, but they weren’t able to find him.
On 21 April’s early morning, around 6:10 a.m., Santonio Wallace’s body was found by the Daphne Search and Rescue team.
Family And Friends Mourn The Loss Of Santonio Wallace
He is survived by his beloved parents Mandra Wallace and Harry Wallace.
Santonio’s mom, Mandra Wallace, said their family had gone out to the beach many times and the kids loved playing in the water.
Santonio liked going out far into the ocean, even though he wasn’t a strong swimmer.
She had warned him about the strong currents and how the sandbars can suddenly drop off, but he loved the excitement and challenge of it, that’s just how he approached everything in life.
Mandra was in the water with Santonio at Navarre Beach, holding his 8-year-old little brother, Oronde, because he couldn’t reach the bottom.
She couldn’t let go of Oronde to help Santonio, even though he needed help.
Mandra quickly moved Oronde toward the shore, getting him close enough to where he could stand and her husband, Harry, could swim out and grab him.
Then she turned back and fought her way through the water, trying to reach Santonio as fast as she could.
Mandra said she and Santonio struggled together in the water for what felt like 10 minutes.
She reached out and had him within her fingertips, even held him in her arms for a moment, but he was bigger than her, and she couldn’t keep hold of him.
A kayaker came by and helped her stay above water, but by then, Santonio had already gone under and was too far down.
Mandra screamed and fought with everything she had to save her son, but he slipped through her fingers and disappeared beneath the water.
Condolences are pouring in from the community, friends, and teammates as people mourn the heartbreaking loss of Santonio Wallace.
Prayers and condolences to my Wallace Family💔💔💔 My son has been CRYING since yesterday over the passing of his friend😔 Only for me to find out WHO💔 Duke N Mandra I love y’all frfr
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Standing 6’1″ and weighing 270 pounds, Santonio was strong and fast—he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.9 seconds and could bench press 225 pounds.
- He was a two-year varsity starter and had a 3.6 GPA. Santonio was part of the class of 2026 and dreamed of playing football and continuing his education after high school.
- Check other Articles on
Introducing Alisha Shrestha, a dynamic writer and content editor with a finger on the pulse of the sports industry. With her passion for style and culture, Alisha delivers compelling articles that inspire and inform readers, keeping them up-to-date with the latest trends and developments.
Related articles
April 7, 2026
March 16, 2026
February 6, 2026
January 30, 2026
Comments
LEAVE A REPLY
Comment: Please enter your comment! Name:* Please enter your name here Email:* You have entered an incorrect email address! Please enter your email address here
Δ
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam.
Share article
- May 14, 2026 Howard Paul Sr., a graduate of Black River High School, tragically passed away. Paul was born on September 15, 1951, to his father, Arthur, and...
- May 14, 2026 A disturbing act of violence at Steven's Park in Allentown has left residents shaken and demanding answers after a witness took to social media...
- May 13, 2026 Residents of Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, are raising serious concerns after a series of violent incidents involving a group of young boys who have been targeting...
- May 13, 2026 Andrew O' Donnell of Fairfield, Connecticut, passed away at the age of 39. He was born in Fairfield, Connecticut, and later moved to Ancramdale, New...
- May 12, 2026 Judy (Evans) Milby of Rockwall, Texas, passed away on Saturday at the age of 80. Milby was born on July 25, 1945, to her father,...
