CULPEPER, VA — On July 27, 2026, at approximately 3:35 PM, three Eastern View High School students didn't hesitate before diving into Lake Culpeper to save the lives of two adults and a young child.

Culpeper Police Department officers and Culpeper County emergency services were dispatched to a report of a sinking boat on the lake. According to the caller, a family, including a small child who could not swim, was in the water after their kayaks capsized. The location made the rescue especially difficult: a steep, overgrown hillside with a boulder-strewn shoreline between December Ct and the water intake of the Lake Culpeper Dam.

But by the time first responders arrived, the family was already safe on shore, rescued by three teenagers who happened to be nearby.

Andrew Tuggle, 15, Jackson Castro, 17, and Gavin Cain, 17, members of the Eastern View High School golf team, were on the adjacent Culpeper Country Club course for team try-outs when they spotted the capsized kayaks. While teammates called 911 and alerted coaching staff, Gavin, Andrew, and Jackson ran to the water's edge, jumped in, and swam out to reach the family. The three teens brought both adults and the child safely to shore, then went back for the kayaks.

Officers later used drone footage and Axon Translation Services to confirm no one remained in the water. All three kayakers were wearing life jackets and were uninjured.

Chief Settle: "These three young men saw someone in danger and acted immediately, without hesitation, at potentially great personal risk to themselves. That kind of courage and quick thinking is what saved three lives on Monday. I hope their actions inspire all of us, and I'm incredibly proud to see this kind of leadership from young people in our community. We're grateful everyone was safe and unharmed.

EVHS Golf Coach Patrick Thornhill: "The instinct and courage these young men showed to jump into action and save lives is heroic. I could not be prouder of them."

CCPS Superintendent Dr. Tony Brads: "The courageous actions of these three students are a powerful reflection of the character we strive to develop in every learner. Through their quick response, compassion, and selfless commitment to helping another person, they embodied the values at the heart of our mission to prepare students to be successful, productive citizens. We commend them for their remarkable leadership and are immensely proud to call them members of the Culpeper County Public Schools family."  

The Culpeper Police Department and the Culpeper County Public Schools commend Gavin Cain, Andrew Tuggle, and Jackson Castro for their bravery and quick thinking, which prevented a tragedy on Lake Culpeper.

Attached Photos: Gavin Cain, 17 (left), Andrew Tuggle, 15, (middle), and Jackson Castro, 17 (right)

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