North Carolina
Body of beloved eastern North Carolina firefighter returns home
EDGECOMBE COUNTY (WTVD) — A mother prepares for her son to return to the Triangle.
Jaywon Lyons, a beloved eastern North Carolina firefighter, died earlier this month after a water incident while on vacation.
“He loved family. He loved to travel. He was just… he was liked by a lot of people,” said Roshawnda Daniels.
Daniel’s eldest son, 25-year-old Lyons, had the passion to serve others.
He served proudly with Edgecombe County Emergency Management, Legget Volunteer Fire Department, and the Red Oak Community Rural Fire Department.
Daniels told ABC11 that Lyons also helped with wildfires in California and Western North Carolina, helping crews respond to Hurricane Helene.
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“He was an adrenaline junkie. He loved it. He lived for this,” said Daniels.
On June 6, while Lyons was on vacation with his girlfriend and her family in the Caribbean, his mother received an earth-shattering phone call. Lyons was in the hospital due to a snorkeling incident.
“He had a pulse when he got to the hospital. They said the hospital wasn’t equipped to handle the situation. So she called me. I got a job, got his insurance information…We had a flight booked to come pick him up, take him to Miami,” said Daniels.
She said Lyons was stable for a while, but things took a turn for the worse, and he did not make it. It’s the second tragedy to hit her family; her youngest son, Jaleal, was murdered at 19 years old.
“I just got to looking at it now, is Jaleal left first. Jaywon missed his brother. He couldn’t take it no more – they were so close,” said Daniels.
She said the brotherhood of firefighters has wrapped their arms around her family, helping to get her son back home and honoring him at the fire station.
Now, Daniels will carry on his legacy and ensure her granddaughters know just how great their father was.
“If nothing else, that he loved them. Even though he’s not here, he’ll always be watching over them, “said Daniels.
There will be an escort on Thursday to bring him home at 8 am.
The funeral service and viewing will be held on Saturday at Edgecombe Community College.
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Friends and family members gathered in Washington state on Saturday, remembering former Miss North Carolina Carrie Everett, who died on Easter Sunday. Another memorial service is planned in North Carolina next month.
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Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | First Quarter
Virginia 3, North Carolina 0 | Q1 8:19
After a faceoff win by Henry Metz, Brendan Millon finds Truitt Sunderland to give the Hoos a 3-0 lead. Timeout North Carolina.
Virginia 2, North Carolina 0 | Q1 9:00
Brendan Millon gets the scoring started for the Cavaliers with a question mark style goal. On the defensive end, Jake Marek opens the game with three early saves with his third save setting up a transition goal by Tommy Snyder.
Virginia vs North Carolina pregame notes
UVA owns a 59-33 advantage since the series began in 1938.
The 59 wins are UVA’s most against any opponent in program history (followed by 51 against Duke).
In Chapel Hill last year, the Tar Heels defeated the Cavaliers 18-9, snapping UVA’s six-game series win streak.
UVA has won nine of the last 11 meetings, dating back to 2018.
The Hoos have won the last two meetings with Carolina at Klöckner Stadium, 11-4 in 2022 and 14-6 in 2024.
The Tar Heels’ four goals in 2022 marked the fewest goals in a game under Joe Breschi, who was named UNC’s head coach in 2006.
The last time the Tar Heels knocked off the Cavaliers at Klöckner was a 16-13 decision during the first of three games between the two teams in 2021.
Later that year, UVA claimed back-to-back meetings against the Heels, including in the NCAA semifinals on the way to capturing the 2021 national title over Maryland.
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HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Fire crews are responding to a brush fire near Howard Gap Road in Hendersonville on Friday evening.
The fire is across the street from the Ebenezer Baptist Church and near the Highlands Square Shopping Center.
Henderson County Fire Marshal Glen Gillette said crews are fighting “blowdown from Helene.”
NEW WILDFIRES IGNITE IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA FOREST AMID WORSENING DROUGHT
Around 11 p.m., the fire appears larger than it did an hour ago because crews are backburning, which refers to using fire to help control the wildfire.
Dana Fire Department Chief Jimmy Womack said that what was a 3-acre fire an hour ago will be an 8-acre fire due to back burning. He said the fire is 80% contained.
Womack said the cause of the fire is unknown, but one of the conditions contributing to the blaze is the Helene blowdown.
“There’s a lot of blowdown in these woods behind us. That’s what creates most of the problem,” said Womack.
Womack said there has been no property damage and no injuries have been reported for this fire in the woods that 24 personnel are fighting. They got the call to arrive at 6:05 p.m.
LOCAL NEWS
Dana Fire and Rescue and Henderson County Fire Department are supporting the U.S. Forest Service with this fire.
Glen said no structures are threatened at this time and Howard Gap Road is closed.
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This story will be updated as new information is discovered.
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