Loving Dad-Of-3 Tries to Rescue Kids Who Fell over Cliff, Loses His Own Life

When a family of five moved to a new state, looking forward to a better life, they had no idea that their world would turn upside down a few months later. It happened when an adventure trip suddenly turned into a nightmare.

36-year-old Ryan Acord went hiking with his wife, kids, and a friend of his sons on a trail near Secret Beach in Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor in Oregon when he saw his children fall off the cliff.

Worried for his three children, Ryan immediately dove to save them, but it was "too late." He lost his life trying to save the boys.

Secret Beach has become a popular tourist attraction in the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor. While the beach's popularity has increased, the authorities have witnessed three accidents in the last three years.

According to authorities, the family stopped at the wrong spot while following the trail's location on Google Maps. They ended up at a dangerous area that changed their lives forever.

The Man Was Loved by Many

Not only was Ryan a loving father and a caring husband, but he was also a teacher who was loved by many of his students. He worked at Lincoln Middle School in Lincoln, Arkansas, before he decided to move to Grants Pass, Oregon, with his family.

When the Acords moved to a new state, they were looking forward to a better life. They loved the landscape of their new hometown and usually spent a lot of time outdoors.

After the tragic incident left Ryan's wife, Jordan Acord, and their three children with an irreplaceable void in their lives, Jordan's sister set up a GoFundMe page to help the family.

In the description, she described her brother-in-law as "a courageous, brave, brilliant, adventurous husband and dad." She added that he died "doing what he loved the most."

Jordan had three children with Ryan, Kade Acord, 12, Liam Stidham, 8, and Knox. Like most parents, the couple had dreamt of raising their family, but one incident changed everything for the family.

Their Hike Turned into a Nightmare

On April 22, 2023, the family of five went for an adventurous hike. One of the kids' friends also joined them, hoping to have fun.

The family followed Google Maps to reach Secret Beach, but ended up at the wrong place because "the trail was not marked clearly." Unaware that they were not at the right spot, the family began hiking until the boys went near the embankment.

When Ryan saw his boys and their friend go near the dangerous area, he quickly rushed to save them but instead slipped and fell.

Jordan immediately called the police for help when she realized their fun trip had suddenly turned into a horrifying event. At that point, she had no idea that she wouldn't see her husband alive again.

Once the first responders arrived, they rescued Nolan Haponstall, the boy who accompanied the Acords. He was found with Ryan 200 feet below the trail from where they fell off. However, Ryan had already closed his eyes forever when the authorities found him.

While Haponstall sustained injuries, his mother revealed that he is "doing fine." Meanwhile, Kade also got injured but he was luckily saved from further injuries because he hung onto a tree while falling.

The first responders rescued Liam and handed him over to Jordan once they were sure he didn't get injured. The other two boys were taken to Curry General Hospital where they underwent treatment.

Jordan felt devastated after losing her husband and she expressed her feeling on her Facebook profile. A day after the incident, she posted a picture of her husband and wrote a heartfelt caption:

"Our rock, my best friend, our everything. I will always love you!"

She also uploaded a photo of Haponstall, asking people to support his family in covering the hospital expenses and other costs. "This little boy was with us and fell over 80 feet down to the beach where we were hiking," the mother-of-three wrote.

In another post, Jordan shared a link to the GoFundMe page created by her sister and thanked people for their support during her "time of tragic loss."

The online fundraiser aimed to raise $30,000 to help Jordan with "funeral expenses, moving expenses" and "some other unexpected costs."

We pray Jordan and her children find their way through this difficult time of their lives, and that no other family has to bear such an irreplaceable loss.

Click here to read another story about a 7-year-old Florida boy who swam a mile through a strong current to save his father and sister drowning in a river.