A high school basketball coach from Durant, Oklahoma tragically lost his life while trying to save his daughter when their SUV was dragged into floodwaters in Sherman, Texas on the morning of Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024. The eight-year-old daughter of Coach Will Robinson, Clara, is yet to be found despite extensive search efforts by multiple agencies.
The family was en route to McKinney, Texas for holiday festivities when their vehicle skidded off U.S. Highway 75 due to hydroplaning and crashed into Post Oak Creek around 11:30 a.m. Emergency services reached the scene within minutes after receiving several 911 distress calls. Robinson was able to shatter the driver’s side window to aid his family’s escape but got separated from Clara due to the powerful current.
Four other family members were saved, including a five-year-old girl who was initially unresponsive but later recovered at a nearby hospital after emergency medical treatment. All the rescued family members have been discharged from medical care.
According to Lieutenant Samuel Boyle of the Sherman Police Department, the incident happened due to a mixture of heavy rainfall and groundwater accumulation. He advised, “My recommendation is don’t try and drive through significant standing water. You never know how deep it is, and vehicles are not designed to do that.”
Various agencies, including the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Denison Dive Team, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Department of Corrections, and Texas Search and Rescue, are carrying out water, land, and air searches. The search area spans a 10-to-12-mile stretch, with a focus on large driftwood piles.
In reaction to the incident, the Texas Department of Transportation is installing guardrails along the section of U.S. 75 where the accident happened. Multiple vehicles have ended up in the drainage ditch in this area over the years.
Robinson’s cousin expressed his sorrow on Facebook, saying, “This is just devastating, and happening on Christmas Eve makes it unbearable. Will was one of the good ones—a devoted husband and father, a beloved basketball coach, and just a great person.”
Since 2021, Robinson had been coaching girls’ basketball at the Durant Independent School District. Apart from his coaching responsibilities, he volunteered for a local non-profit organization that organizes a yearly basketball camp for children with autism. His colleagues remember him as a positive, patient, and inspiring mentor who had a significant influence on his students and community.
The Sherman Police Department is partnering with Texas Task Force 2 and many local and state agencies in the ongoing search operations. The department stated, “In crises like these, we are blessed to serve a community that so badly wants to help in any way they can. We have dozens of first responders involved in this search, many with extensive training in searching in hazardous conditions.”
A joint memorial service was scheduled for Robinson and Clara on Saturday, January 4, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. in the Durant High School Gymnasium. The school canceled its Friday basketball game to honor the family.
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support the family during this challenging time, raising over $25,000 to date. Local authorities have alerted the public about fake donation accounts and requested the community to respect the family’s privacy.
The Sherman Police Department is urging anyone with relevant information regarding the case to contact their non-emergency number at 903-892-7290. Search operations will resume at dawn each day until Clara is located.
