Maryland Navy SEAL remembered as ‘standout’ athlete, swim coach
CHEVERLY, Md. (DC News Now) — A local Navy SEAL with deep ties to Maryland dies trying to save a fellow teammate who fell off a ship in the Arabian sea.
Christopher Chambers was a high school swimmer in Cheverly and a standout athlete at the University of Maryland.
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“Christopher Chambers is the epitome of a hero,” said Maryland State Del. Julian Ivey (D-47).
Before joining the Navy, Chambers was known as “Coach Chris” to his swim students at the Cheverly Swim and Racquet Club.
Ivey was one of Chambers’ students and said Chambers had a huge impact on the lives of many.
His former students and college swim coach say the way he died just speaks to his character.
“He was [the] type who would show up early to practice and he’d be the last one to leave and he’s just teaching you work ethic day in and day out, teaching you about integrity,” he said.
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Chambers was a part of several sports teams during his first two years at Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville before moving to Massachusetts and attending Westfield High School.
He went on to swim for the University of Massachusetts’s for former coach Russ Yarworth.
“Basically my No. 1 memory is big, massive curly blonde hair and a big smile,” Yarworth said. “Always really cheerful kid.”
Chambers made his way back to the crab state and joined the University of Maryland Terp’s swim team during his sophomore year.
Everyone Chambers encountered recognized his willingness to help others.
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“He’s an individual who put himself first and put himself in the line of fire quite frankly,” Ivey said.
On Jan. 11, Chambers died trying to save operator Nathan Gage Ingram who had fallen into the Arabian Sea after he slipped while climbing aboard an unflagged ship. Chambers jumped in to save him and after an 11-day search and rescue, they were both presumed dead.
“He was a well-liked teammate and certainly would have stepped up for any of them,” Yarworth said. “That’s obviously what he did in this final moments. Like I said, ‘he’s a hero to me.'”
His character, leadership and love he showed to so many will forever live on.
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“If you ever think about having a son, and what an ideal son would look like, you don’t have to look any further. Christopher Chambers is that individual and I just hope that he’s resting now,” Ivey said.
Chambers enlisted in the Navy back in 2012, graduated from SEAL training in 2014 and has won several awards during his career. He was 37-years-old.
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