Georgia soldier, 19, dies in tragic bridge jump on Labor Day outing: 'He loved his country'

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Cutter Baird died after jumping off a bridge during a fun Labor Day outing. (Credit: Stephanie Griffin)

COLUMBUS, Ga. - A soldier, based in Georgia, died on Labor Day after jumping off a bridge during what was supposed to be a fun outing.

Stephanie Griffin, said her son, 19-year-old Cutter Baird, spent the holiday with friends along Dillingham Street Bridge in Columbus.

Baird had jumped 100 feet from the bridge.

"It appears that he slipped and did not have enough time to react to his body hitting the water," Griffin told FOX Television Stations. "When his body had hit the water, he hit it like a belly flop, and it crushed his chest cavity."

According to Griffin, her son was conscious enough to swim back to shore, but then passed out. First responders arrived and unsuccessfully tried to revive him.

"He was my best friend," Griffin continued. "I talked to him every morning. Every night. As many times a day as possible."

Griffin said her son was based out of Fort Moore. He served in the U.S. Army as a Private 2nd Class.

"He wanted to be a sniper," Griffin added, saying that her son came from a military family, had ambitions of going to Officer Candidate School and wanted to retire from the military.

"He was a free spirit," Griffin explained. "He was spunky and wild and passionate about the things that he loved. He loved his country."

The mother said her son also had a passion for animals, even opening up a rescue shelter in his hometown of Sparta, Georgia.

Griffin hopes her son's story will alert other people about the dangers of bridge jumping.

"It's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt," she said.

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