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‘Always ready to lend a helping hand’: Jacksonville church mourns death of member killed in Georgia dock collapse

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville church identified one of its longtime members as one of the seven victims killed in a dock gangway collapse on Georgia’s Sapelo Island on Saturday.

RELATED | 4 of 7 killed in Georgia dock gangway collapse were from Jacksonville, coroner confirms

Impact Church released a statement Monday and said that Cynthia Gibbs, who was 74 years old, had been serving in the church for more than a decade.

“Cynthia Gibbs will be remembered well by her Impact Church family. She has been a loved, appreciated, faithful part of the Impact for over 15 years. Throughout that time, her love for God has been consistently evident, as has her passion for serving Him through her dedicated service to her church and her community. Cynthia was always ready to lend a helping hand, quick with a funny quip, full of energy, and so consistent that we maintained a staff workspace for her in our ministry offices. We are stunned at the sudden circumstance of her transition and will greatly miss her. We are, however, comforted by the knowledge that we will see her again in Heaven. We continue to pray for her loved ones and for all those who have been touched by the tragedy in Sapelo Island, Georgia.”

Impact Church

According to the McIntosh County coroner, four of the seven people killed in the collapse were from Jacksonville. Among the other three victims, one was from Atlanta, another from “the Atlanta area” and another from Darien, Georgia.

The victims were identified as:

  • Isaiah Thomas, 79, from Jacksonville
  • Carlotta Mcintosh, 93, from Jacksonville
  • Jacqueline Crews Carter, 75, from Jacksonville
  • Cynthia Alynn Gibbs, 74, from Jacksonville
  • Charles League Houston, 77, from Darien, Ga.
  • Queen Welch, 76, Atlanta
  • William Lee Johnson Jr., 73, from the Atlanta area
Four of seven victims killed in dock gangway collapse. (Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.)

First responders said as many as 40 people were on the dock gangway when it collapsed, sending at least 20 people tumbling into the water.

“It is a structural failure. There should be very, very little maintenance to an aluminum gangway like that, but we’ll see what the investigation unfolds,” Georgia Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Walter Rabon said at a news conference a day after the tragedy.

News4JAX spoke with one of the good Samaritans who helped in the rescue efforts.

“What we saw was devastating. Experiencing a tragedy where people have died and seeing dead bodies laying on the shore; people administrating CPR was incredibly surreal,” Kendra McCrea told News4JAX.

McCrea said she and her family were five minutes away when they got the phone call about a tragic event at the dock. She said they immediately drove to this location to help the victims.

“My sisters and I ran to assist any way we could. I was there with this young lady who had already been pulled from the water. We were there helping her. When we got there, she was not responding, and she was coughing water and she was really cold.”

The woman survived. But one of her male relatives did not. He was identified as 79-year-old Isaiah Thomas of Jacksonville.

Another victim from Jacksonville was 93-year-old Carlotta McIntosh, she was the oldest of the victims.

RELATED | 93-year-old Jacksonville woman killed in Georgia dock collapse was retired teacher and ‘full of life,’ family says

Her granddaughter sent News4JAX the following statement:

“She was a retired special education teacher that was vibrant, full of life and was loved by many. She belonged to many organizations locally such as the Live Long and Like It Club, Wilder Park Senior Citizens Club, the Pokeno club and many more. She was the matriarch of our family and will truly be missed.”

Ebony Davis, granddaughter

Jacksonville City Councilman Rahman Johnson issued a statement Monday regarding the tragic ferry dock collapse. In that statement, Johnson pointed out that he knew two of the victims personally, including McIntosh.

“I had the privilege of knowing both Mrs. Carlotta McIntosh and Mrs. Cynthia Gibbs personally. They were strong, resilient women who embodied the very spirit of Jacksonville. Mrs. McIntosh, with her 93 years of wisdom, and Mrs. Gibbs, with her unwavering commitment to our community, were pillars of strength and compassion. Their loss leaves an immeasurable void not only in my heart but in the lives of those who had the honor of knowing them.

This is a heartbreaking loss for Jacksonville, and my heart aches alongside the families of all those affected by this tragedy. The ferry dock collapse at Sapelo Island has shaken us to the core, as it took the lives of people who were more than just names on a list—they were beloved members of our community.

This tragedy is a reminder of how fragile life can be, but also of the enduring strength of community. As we grieve, let us remember the contributions of Mrs. McIntosh, Mrs. Gibbs, and all the lives lost. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families, and I call on Jacksonville to stand in solidarity with those affected.

We will honor their memory and seek ways to ensure that tragedies like this do not happen again. In the meantime, my office is ready to provide the support needed to the families and the wider community as we navigate this difficult time together.”

Councilman Rahman Johnson

Mayor Donna Deegan also provided a statement on the tragedy.

“I am heartbroken by the tragic events this week on Sapelo Island, Georgia. The majority of those who lost their lives were from Jacksonville, home to the nation’s largest population of Gullah-Geechee descendants. As we observe Gullah-Geechee Heritage Month, we mourn the lives lost and extend our prayers to the Gullah community, which has been profoundly impacted by this tragedy.”

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced Monday he is representing the families of three of the victims who were killed in the dock gangway collapse on Georgia’s Sapelo Island Saturday.

MORE | High-profile attorney representing victims’ families says he will ‘uncover the truth’ behind Georgia’s dock collapse

Crump’s legal team did not specify on Monday’s announcement whose families they are representing.

The families and the legal team are expected to hold a news conference Tuesday morning in Jacksonville.


About the Author
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Award-winning broadcast and multimedia journalist with 20 years experience.

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