06-03-2014, 11:10 AM
The body of Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Wildlife Officer 1st Class Joel Campora was recovered June 2 near the location where flood waters took the lives of Scott County Sheriff Cody Carpenter and two women. Campora and Carpenter were attempting to rescue the two Y City women when flood waters collapsed the women's home.
Campora's body was found about 9 a.m. near the Fourche La Fave River in Scott County. His body was more than a mile from the women's house and a half-mile from the location where Carpenter's body was found. The bodies of both women who were swept away at the same time as Campora and Carpenter also were recovered.
AGFC Director Mike Knoedl said he promised Campora's wife that wildlife officers would not stop looking until they found him. "When I promised Rebecca Campora on Friday that we would bring him home I had no doubt that they would do just that and that was accomplished. Now we have to give Joel a true hero's ceremony, which we will do on Friday," he said.
AGFC Chief of Enforcement Col. Jeff Crow said the flood waters had receded enough to allow searchers access to areas they were not able to reach earlier because of the flood waters from Mill Creek and the Fourche La Fave River. "It's been a very difficult few days for our officers, but they have shown tremendous resolve in the face of very difficult circumstances," Crow said.
Campora had been a wildlife officer with the AGFC since 2007. He was assigned to Scott County and lived in Waldron with his wife and two children.
As a cadet, Campora wrote in his personal biography that he knew what he wanted to do with his life. "From the time I was in fourth grade in school, I have always had the dream of being a game warden. I remember seeing those officers and thinking how there could not be a better job out there," Campora wrote. "Being able to have a job that allowed you to work with and preserve nature was only a dream to me. Now it is a reality and I will be proud to put on the uniform every day of my career," he added.
Torrential rains in the area began May 30 and continued through June 1 causing area rivers and creeks to swell. The National Weather Service reported that nearly eight inches of rain fell in that area over a 12-hour period May 30-31.
Campora and Carpenter got into the wildlife officer's boat just after midnight on May 31 to answer a 911 call that the two Y City women were in their house and were in danger from the flood waters of Mill Creek. The swollen creek caused the home to collapse while Campora, Carpenter and the two women were inside.
Helicopters and more than 100 local, state and federal personnel from around the area assisted in the search.
Campora's funeral will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 7 at the Waldron High School football field.
Campora's body was found about 9 a.m. near the Fourche La Fave River in Scott County. His body was more than a mile from the women's house and a half-mile from the location where Carpenter's body was found. The bodies of both women who were swept away at the same time as Campora and Carpenter also were recovered.
AGFC Director Mike Knoedl said he promised Campora's wife that wildlife officers would not stop looking until they found him. "When I promised Rebecca Campora on Friday that we would bring him home I had no doubt that they would do just that and that was accomplished. Now we have to give Joel a true hero's ceremony, which we will do on Friday," he said.
AGFC Chief of Enforcement Col. Jeff Crow said the flood waters had receded enough to allow searchers access to areas they were not able to reach earlier because of the flood waters from Mill Creek and the Fourche La Fave River. "It's been a very difficult few days for our officers, but they have shown tremendous resolve in the face of very difficult circumstances," Crow said.
Campora had been a wildlife officer with the AGFC since 2007. He was assigned to Scott County and lived in Waldron with his wife and two children.
As a cadet, Campora wrote in his personal biography that he knew what he wanted to do with his life. "From the time I was in fourth grade in school, I have always had the dream of being a game warden. I remember seeing those officers and thinking how there could not be a better job out there," Campora wrote. "Being able to have a job that allowed you to work with and preserve nature was only a dream to me. Now it is a reality and I will be proud to put on the uniform every day of my career," he added.
Torrential rains in the area began May 30 and continued through June 1 causing area rivers and creeks to swell. The National Weather Service reported that nearly eight inches of rain fell in that area over a 12-hour period May 30-31.
Campora and Carpenter got into the wildlife officer's boat just after midnight on May 31 to answer a 911 call that the two Y City women were in their house and were in danger from the flood waters of Mill Creek. The swollen creek caused the home to collapse while Campora, Carpenter and the two women were inside.
Helicopters and more than 100 local, state and federal personnel from around the area assisted in the search.
Campora's funeral will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 7 at the Waldron High School football field.