11-Year-Old Girl Dead After Trying to Save Sister from Drowning at Ohio Hotel Pool: 'No Greater Love'
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"She was one of the easy ones to love," said Mackenzie Cornell's teacher
GoFundMe Mackenzie Cornell
An 11-year-old girl drowned while trying to save her sister from an Ohio hotel swimming pool this week, authorities said.Mackenzie Cornell died on Sunday, June 2, in a pool at a Quality Inn hotel in Wheelersburg, according to the Scioto County Sheriff's Office."The detective learned that the younger sister had fallen into the pool and the older sister, Mackenzie, attempted to pull her out," the sheriff's office said on Thursday, June 6. "Mackenzie was unsuccessful and went under the water as well. An investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to call Det. Tackett-Dye at 740-351-1099.
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Authorities said in a news release shared on Tuesday, June 4 that the 9-year-old and 11-year-old children were attending a pool party at the hotel.Helen Cornell, Mackenzie’s aunt, talked to NBC affiliate WSAZ about the tragic accident while attending a vigil at the Bloom-Vernon Elementary School on Monday, June 3.“Her little sister went into the deep end of the pool and couldn’t swim very well. Big sister went to save her, and she ultimately died," she said. "There’s no greater love than giving yourself for your sister."
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The girls were removed from the water, and CPR was administered, officials said. The 9-year-old was resuscitated, but Mackenzie died at the hospital."We are deeply saddened to hear about this tragic incident and our condolences are with the Cornell family," a spokesperson for Choice Hotels, which owns Quality Inn, told PEOPLE in a statement. The Quality Inn hotel in Wheelersburg declined to comment.Counseling services will be available at the elementary school from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. local time until Friday, June 7, the Bloom-Vernon School District shared in a Facebook post on June 3. Counselors will also be available at the community church from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on June 6.
Related: Father of 4-Year-Old Boy Who Died of 'Dry Drowning' Speaks Out: 'This Could Happen to Anyone'
Teacher Chad Brenner told WSAZ that he will remember Mackenzie's smile. “Every time she’d come into class, she had a smile on her face," he continued, noting that "she was one of the easy ones to love." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.A GoFundMe campaign launched to help her family's "burden" has raised over $5,000 as of June 6. "To ease what is already an unbearable time for her grandparents and father, we are asking for donations to help with her funeral expenses," according to the fundraiser's organizer. For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on People.
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