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Aaron 'Mick' Crawford: High school hero of Kentucky floods MYSTERIOUSLY dies from illness

Crawford, complained of arm numbness and was airlifted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington where he was placed on a ventilator

FRANKFURT, KENTUCKY: Aaron Mick Crawford, 18, was reported on Wednesday, August 5, to be the 38th person to have died in the Kentucky flash floods. He passed away after a sudden illness. The teen athlete spent several days helping his neighbors in recovering from the devastating flooding in the state. The catastrophic floods have caused bridges in the Appalachian region to collapse, isolating communities as homes were torn from their foundation as mudslides poured into the valleys leaving people stranded without water, electricity, or other critical supplies. Citizens complain the region looks like a 'war zone' and the sudden death of Crawford has added to their grief. 

Crawford, complained of arm numbness and was airlifted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington where he was placed on a ventilator before he passed away. Crawford worked on the recovery efforts for three days before becoming ill. His mother, Ronda Crawford, told the Lexington Herald-Leader that her son, who was an organ donor, “went into cardiac arrest.” The teen wasted no time in offering to help as the state battles its worst floods to date. "As soon as we understood we had a major disaster going on here, he messaged me," said Perry County Sheriff Joe Engle, who described the teen as witty and "strong as a bear." "I'm not sure it had even quit raining yet by the time he sent me a message on Facebook." He said, "Wanting to know where to go. Wanting to know where to help,"' said Engle, who was also Crawford's pastor and friend. The high school football player and wrestler was remembered by friends and family as a kind person with an inspiring commitment to his Christian faith.

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Governor Andy Bashear announced the new fatality on August 11 after authorities found bodies in flood-stricken Breathitt County. Beshear called the deluge "the deadliest and the most devastating of my lifetime", adding: "If things weren't hard enough on the people of this region, they're getting rain right now."

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden visited Eastern Kentucky in support of the residents. This is the 2nd time President Biden is visiting Kentucky in a year as the state is still recovering from the deadliest tornadoes in its history, which killed more than 70 in December 2021. Biden has issued a disaster declaration for the Kentucky flooding, allowing federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. President Biden forewent his formal remarks to speak off the cuff after visiting families affected by the floods and receiving a briefing on volunteer efforts. He praised the spirits of the people of Kentucky and vowed the government would be there for them.

A total of 39 people died in the state's cataclysmic flooding, leaving hundreds of families displaced after flash floods destroyed their homes and livelihoods. Some areas in eastern Kentucky reported receiving more than eight inches of rain within 24 hours as the state was battered by the worst storm in its history. The water level of the North Fork of the Kentucky River at Whitesburg rose to a staggering 20 feet within hours, well above its previous record of 14.7 feet. The severity of the flooding left Beshear lamenting that they would be "finding bodies for weeks," but assured Kentuckians "we’re going to work to go door to door, work to find, again, as many people as we can."