Tragic Nightmare 😕 A Father's Story of a Horrible Accident

Summary

In this heart-wrenching account, the narrator recounts a tragic boating accident that led to the loss of his daughter, Sunny. The family had gathered for a day on the lake, unaware of the impending disaster. As they prepared to wake surf, Sunny was mistakenly left in the water when the boat took off, resulting in a fatal encounter with the boat's propeller. The script details the frantic attempts to save her, the despair at the hospital, and the struggle to come to terms with the sudden and shocking loss.

Takeaways

• 🚤 The family was on a boating trip, with a plan to wake surf and enjoy the day on the lake.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The family had invited another family, but there were more people than anticipated, requiring a check for life jackets and boat capacity.
• 🌞 The weather was extremely hot, prompting the group to take regular swim breaks to cool down.
• 🏄‍♂️ The father was teaching others how to wake surf, including the visiting family's mother.
• 😱 A tragic accident occurred when the family believed everyone had returned to the boat, but the daughter, Sunny, was left in the water.
• 😭 The family heard screams and realized Sunny was in the water, with the boat's propeller having caused severe injuries.
• 🛑 The father and mother desperately tried to save Sunny, but she had already passed away by the time they reached her.
• 🚑 Despite attempts to call for help and perform CPR, it was clear that Sunny could not be saved.
• 🏥 The family was taken to the hospital where they were informed that Sunny's injuries were fatal and nothing could have been done.
• 🤔 The exact circumstances of how Sunny ended up in the water are unclear, with multiple adults present and no one knowing exactly what happened.
• 🙏 The family was left in shock and grief, struggling to cope with the sudden loss of their daughter.

Q & A

What was the initial plan for the family's boating trip?

The initial plan was to have a family boating trip on a Friday, with the narrator preparing the boat and its supplies in the morning while letting the kids sleep in, planning to wake them up right before departure.

How did the narrator's daughter scare him on the morning of the boating trip?

The daughter hid in the laundry room and then popped out from behind the door, surprising the narrator who was coming upstairs to get some towels.

What was the narrator's routine before going to bed the night before the boating trip?

The narrator had a thought of checking on his daughter as he got close to her room, which he did, finding her sprawled out on the end of her bed, and he gave her a kiss and a hug.

What unexpected situation occurred when the invited family arrived for the boating trip?

There were more people from the invited family than the narrator had anticipated, leading him to quickly assess if he had enough life jackets and if the boat was within legal capacity.

Why did the narrator decide to ride the surfboard himself?

The narrator decided to ride the surfboard himself because he had never ridden that particular board before and needed to understand how to coach others on it, especially regarding where to place their feet.

What was the weather like on the day of the boating trip?

The weather was extremely hot, with temperatures expected to reach 110 to 115 degrees, even becoming toasty by 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning.

What was the tragic incident that occurred during the boating trip?

The tragic incident was that the narrator's daughter, Sunny, fell into the water and was hit by the boat's propeller, resulting in her death.

How did the narrator react when he first saw Sunny in the water?

The narrator initially thought Sunny was just scared of being left in the water and believed everything was going to be fine, similar to a child falling off a bike.

What actions did the narrator take after realizing the severity of the situation?

The narrator swam back to Sunny, picked her up with his life jacket, and tried to get her to the boat as quickly as possible while instructing others on the boat to stop it and call for help.

What was the response of the emergency services when the narrator reached the shore?

Emergency services, including paramedics and the fire department, were already at the shore. They took Sunny, performed CPR, and later confirmed her death at the hospital.

What was the emotional state of the narrator and his family after the incident?

The emotional state of the narrator and his family was of shock and disbelief. They struggled to communicate the gravity of the situation to others and faced the reality of their loss at the hospital.

Outlines

00:00

🚤 Boating Trip Preparation and Morning Surprise

The narrator begins by discussing how to refer to a tragic event, mentioning the difficulty of finding the right words. The story then shifts to a family boating trip. The narrator describes waking up early to prepare the boat with essentials like food, water, and life jackets, intending to let the children sleep in. A light-hearted moment is shared when the narrator's wife scares him by hiding in the laundry room. The night before, the narrator had a moment of reflection, choosing to check on his sleeping daughter despite thinking he would see her in the morning. The family's plan to teach wake surfing to their guests is outlined, and the narrator expresses concern about the number of guests and the boat's capacity but confirms everything is in order.

05:01

😱 Tragic Wake Surfing Accident

The narrator recounts the moment of the accident during a wake surfing lesson. Believing everyone had returned to the boat, the boat took off with the narrator in the water preparing to surf. A scream alerts him that something is wrong, and he sees his wife, Sunny, in the water. Initially, he thinks she is scared from being left behind, but as he approaches, he realizes the gravity of the situation. His wife Camille screams in distress, and the narrator swims towards Sunny, leaving the surfboard behind. The water's viscosity changes due to blood, indicating a severe injury.

10:02

🛑 Desperate Rescue and Realization of Loss

The narrator describes the frantic attempt to save Sunny. He instructs Camille to get the boat while he swims with Sunny in his arms, feeling the weight of the situation. Upon reaching the boat, the family prays, and the narrator acknowledges Sunny's death. Despite attempts to call for help and perform CPR, the reality of the situation sets in. The family is met with shock and disbelief from others on the boat and from emergency services, who are unable to provide any assistance. The boat is driven back to shore with a heavy heart, and the emergency personnel on the dock take over, confirming Sunny's passing.

15:02

🏥 The Aftermath and Hospital Confirmation

Following the accident, the family deals with the immediate aftermath, including the boat being impounded and the children being taken care of. The narrator and his wife Camille are separated from Sunny during transport to the hospital, where they receive confirmation from the medical staff that there was no chance of saving her due to the extent of her injuries. The family also faces the challenge of communicating the tragic news to others, who initially do not believe the severity of the situation. The hospital scene is filled with grief and the harsh reality of their loss.

20:03

🕊 Reflecting on the Tragedy and Seeking Closure

In the final paragraph, the narrator reflects on the uncertainty of the exact circumstances that led to Sunny's accident. It is suggested that she may have been hit by the boat's propeller, but the details remain unclear. The family is left with questions and grief. At the hospital, a chaplain attempts to pray, but the narrator is unable to express gratitude for the tragic day. The paragraph ends with the acknowledgment of the family's struggle to find closure and make sense of the sudden loss of their daughter.

Keywords

💡Accident

An accident refers to an unforeseen and unplanned event that typically results in harm or loss. In the context of the video, the term is used to describe the tragic event that led to the passing of Sunny. The script mentions the difficulty in referring to the event, with some individuals calling it 'the worst day of my life' instead of using the word 'accident', reflecting the emotional weight and personal impact of the incident.

💡Boat

A boat is a watercraft designed for use on water. In the video's narrative, the boat is central to the story as the setting for the accident. The script describes the preparation of the boat for a day out, the number of people on board, and the concern for safety and compliance with boat capacity, which is a critical aspect of the unfolding tragedy.

💡Life Jacket

A life jacket is a personal flotation device designed to keep a person afloat in water. The script mentions the importance of having enough life jackets for everyone on board, which is a standard safety precaution when boating. The life jackets are a poignant detail in the story, as they represent the efforts made to ensure safety, yet the tragedy still occurred.

💡Wake Surfing

Wake surfing is a water sport where a person surfs on the wake created by a moving boat. The video script describes the act of teaching others how to wake surf as a joyful activity the narrator enjoys. However, this activity becomes intertwined with the tragic event when the narrator leaves the water to ride the surfboard, leading to the accident.

💡Propeller

A propeller is a device with rotating blades that converts rotational motion into thrust, commonly used to propel boats. In the script, the propeller is implied to be the cause of the fatal injury when Sunny is hit by it, as she was in the water at the time the boat took off. This detail is crucial to understanding the mechanism of the accident.

💡Safety

Safety refers to the state of being protected from harm or other non-desirable outcomes. The video script highlights the importance of safety measures such as checking the number of people on the boat, ensuring life jackets are available, and the legal capacity of the boat. The tragic event underscores the significance of safety precautions in recreational activities.

💡Emergency Response

Emergency response involves the actions taken in response to an urgent situation requiring immediate attention. In the script, the narrator describes the attempts to call 911 and the subsequent actions of the paramedics and firefighters. The emergency response is a critical part of the aftermath of the accident, illustrating the immediate efforts to provide aid.

💡Grief

Grief is a deep emotional response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone beloved. The script conveys the profound sense of grief experienced by the narrator and Camille upon realizing the severity of the accident and the loss of Sunny. Grief is a central theme of the video, reflecting the emotional journey of the family.

💡Hospital

A hospital is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized medical staff and equipment. In the script, the hospital is the final destination where the family hopes for a miracle, despite the tragic circumstances. The hospital represents the place where the family receives the confirmation of their loss and begins to process their grief.

💡Chaplain

A chaplain is a religious representative who provides spiritual care and support, often in institutions like hospitals. The script mentions the presence of a hospital chaplain who offers to say a prayer. The chaplain's role is significant as it represents the provision of spiritual comfort in the face of tragedy.

💡Prayer

Prayer is a form of religious practice that involves communicating with a deity or higher power. In the video script, the act of praying is mentioned as a way to seek comfort and express gratitude, even in the midst of tragedy. The narrator's struggle to pray 'thankful for this day' highlights the complexity of emotions during such a devastating event.

Highlights

The family prepared for a boating trip by ensuring all necessary supplies were on board and letting the children sleep in.

A playful moment where the daughter scared her father by hiding and surprising him.

The father's routine of checking on his daughter before going to bed, showing a close bond.

Unexpectedly, a larger group than anticipated arrived for the boating trip, prompting a check for compliance with boat capacity and life jacket availability.

The family's strategy to cope with the hot weather by taking regular swim breaks while boating.

Teaching others to wake surf, sharing the joy of the activity with the invited family.

A critical moment when the daughter was left behind in the water, unbeknownst to the boating party.

The chilling realization that something was wrong when the daughter was seen in the water screaming.

The horrifying discovery of the daughter's fatal injury after being hit by the boat's propeller.

Desperate attempts to save the daughter, despite knowing the severity of the situation.

The emotional turmoil of calling for help and the difficulty in communicating the gravity of the situation to emergency services.

The heartbreaking scene at the dock with paramedics and firefighters, and the acknowledgment of the daughter's death.

The struggle to process the tragedy and the community's response to the accident.

The hospital's confirmation of no chance of survival due to the extent of injuries.

Reflections on the inability to express gratitude for the day in prayer due to the tragedy.

The ongoing quest for understanding what exactly happened during the accident.

The emotional aftermath and the community's support in the face of the tragedy.

Transcripts

can you tell us how she passed away do

you call it the accident or do you call

it like how do you refer to it I say the

accident okay I don't know better way is

there a better way that you talk talk

about no I don't know I know that some

people call it like you

know I the worst day of my life yeah or

they say things like it was worth worst

day in my life they don't say the

accident they'll say depending on you

know the circumstances they can

say they name it something differently

yeah you I get it so we had invited this

other family to

come to go on the boat with us on this

Friday so I woke up in the morning and I

already had the boat somewhat ready

started getting everything ready in the

morning what I typically do if we leave

earlier in the morning like that is I'll

try to get everything ready everything

in the boat food water everything that

we need towels equipment everything and

then let the kids sleep as long as

possible and then wake them up right

before and then just put them in the car

give them some food on the way out there

type of thing uh so that we don't wake

them up earlier they needed we did all

of that uh funny story she scared me

that that morning

um I woke up or when I was coming

upstairs to get some towels I didn't see

her in a room and I didn't see her in

the bathroom and she I don't know she

must have heard me or something but she

went and hid in the laundry room and

then popped out behind the door and

scared me so that was a fun little

moment that we had uh and I also the

that Thursday night when walking up to

go to bed uh the thought had come as I

got close to her door like oh it'll be

fine I'll just see her in the morning

and I didn't need to like go check on

her but I was like I want to go check on

her so I went into her room and checked

on her she was sprawled out on the end

of her bed and I gave her a little kiss

and a hug and I even talked to Cil about

that of being able to go see her and

she's like yeah I saw her too she was

all sprawled out and so we had a kind of

a little laugh between camil and I of

how she

sleeps um I realized this is long winded

of where

TR

to of later happens and of the question

happens why did we go to the lake right

so we get everybody in the car we drive

out to the lake and we wait there and

the family shows up and in my mind the

family that we had invited I'd only met

a couple times um Camille and the other

our kids had never really met them and

in my mind I thought they would only

have like maybe uh like two or three

kids

I excuse me that's what I

thought but then they started kind of

pouring out the van and there were more

of them than than what I had anticipated

even so much so that I started like

calculating in my head okay do I have

enough life Jack life jackets for these

people um are we actually going to be in

compliance with the capacity on the boat

so I started thinking all these things

that oh wow there's more people than I

had anticipated coming um and so I

verified that everything was okay from

like a legality standpoint um we weren't

over capacity with our boat I had enough

life jackets for everyone and the sizes

and everything just mentally I was like

okay yep everything checks the box

that's just more people than I had

thought was going to be in the boat um

and this was in the middle of July and

we went out earlier in the morning but I

think that day it was supposed to be

upwards in you know the 110 115 degree

weather and it was even getting toasty

then at 8:00 or 9 in the morning so we

get everybody in the boat haul the boat

down put it in the water and we uh go

out towards the no wake zone and we get

outside the no wake zone and because

it's so hot we just have everybody hop

in the water real quick and just have a

swim break just to keep everybody cool

it's something that's typically we've

done every time I go on the boat M so

everybody gets back in the boat uh when

we were with that family and then so

then everyone was kind of cool down we

started teaching some people how to wake

surf that's what I love to do and I love

to share the joy of boating with people

mhm uh and so I started teaching some of

their family members how to wake surf

and in between every single Rider uh we

would again have a swim break for

everybody so then it's everyone can

participate instead of just having to be

like okay the next Rider and everyone's

just sitting in the boat that's never

fun so everybody would always get in and

swim we would tell everyone get back in

the boat uh there were a lot of people

in the boat um that

day but everyone would always get back

in

and I taught a couple more people how to

wake

surf I taught the mom of the family that

came out how to wake surf uh and that

took a long time uh to do and finally

got her up and got her wake surfing and

so then we said hey let's take a quick

break now and I was going to teach their

son but he was in that weight range of

this board that I had never actually

ridden and because I'd never ridden it

it's hard to coach on how to like where

to put your feet because I just don't

know yet cuz I needed to know so we had

everyone get out and swim uh and I

needed to ride the surfboard so we

called to everybody hey everybody get

back in the boat it's time to get back

in the

boat uh to my knowledge at the time

everybody had gotten back in the boat so

I wanted to ride the surfboard and I

literally just needed to ride it for 5

seconds as soon as the wave formed on

the boat I could have ridden it figured

out where my feet were thrown the rope

and been like okay let's here we go to

do the now I know exactly what I need to

do I can just teach it wasn't like I was

going to go ride for any amount of time

I it was just that short um so I get in

into the water Camille is driving the

boat for

me

uh and I was even kind of like hey like

why are we waiting like let's go um

which I feel bad for and I regret we

thought everybody was in the boat

Camille took off I started wake

surfing um I read the police reports and

everyone said that they heard heard

something or felt something in the boat

that like a thud I didn't know any of

that cuz I was in the water right um

and right a little bit after I had

gotten up I kind of uh I heard a

scream and I looked back and it was

sunny screaming for me no one else in

the boat heard the scream cuz the

engine

um and she was in the water

and my first thought is why is she in

the water and how did we leave her so

confusing yeah and I don't know if you

ever do this um but with when anytime

any of my kids will like fall on a bike

or trip or in some sense get kind of

hurt I always even if other parents are

around and they're like oh my gosh I'm

always like hey my kids fine like

they're fine everything's fine

um and I've done that for almost their

entire lives just like I'll run to them

they'll be fine everything will be okay

like you know and so I had that kind of

mentality

of she's okay everything's going to be

fine you couldn't tell how serious it

was at that moment no like I heard her

screaming and I was like in my mind I

was like she I was thinking she's just

scared that she's still in the water

she's scared that we left without her

she's scared that I'm not there and so I

was thinking there it's just no big deal

M it's no big deal she's in the water

we'll just go and grab her put her in

the boat and we'll just keep on having

this wonderful day that we're having

right and Camille kind of looks at me

and I drop the rope and then she is like

what's going on so she goes to drive

back and I start swimming back to Sunny

I left the surfboard there and just

started swimming back to Sunny and she

is still kind of screaming for

[Music]

me again I'm not in some huge rush to

get to her cuz I have that thought that

it's no big deal it's it's okay

everything's okay similar to like a

child wrecking on a bike they're just

they're okay everything's going to be

okay and the closer I got I could tell

it was not

okay

um and the the first time that I knew

that this was big

is Camille got close enough to the boat

and she had a different vantage point

and from my knowledge she could have

seen all the blood that was in the

water uh cuz what had happened well I'll

just keep going with what the story is

and we can try to figure out what

happened after um Camille then like

screamed to me oh

Blake my baby and then dove into the

water from the boat

um the boat was if if any boat is still

drifting whether it has power or not if

you were just going somewhere and then

you put the boat in neutral it's still

going to drift CU you didn't ever stop

the boat it's not like a break so I had

multiple concerns at the same time there

was also other boats that had kind of

like saw the uh heard the commotion and

had kind of driven closer over by where

we were so in the midst of all this I

still have like hey the boat something

about the boat so I was Yelling to the

people in the boat like hit the stop

button turn it off do whatever cuz I

just didn't know uh what Camille had

done if she had turned it off or

anything but I could tell the boat was

drifting I didn't want it to just

continually drive away cuz I knew that

if there was any chance then we would

have to get her in the boat as quick as

we could and like use that as a tool to

help us right with her so I'm trying to

uh tell the people what to do with the

boat while I'm still swimming really

hard and as I got close to her

Camille says something to the effect

like Blake her arm her arm Blake her arm

and she lifts her up a little bit out of

the water to show me her arm and she's

screaming at

me and at that time where I was at in

the

water I could

feel uh it's it's a term called the

viscosity of water it's how the water

actually feels how thick it is and it

got way thicker and it was because I was

swimming Through Blood mhm

and so I got to I got to Sunny and then

I told Camille go get the boat and so

she started swimming to the boat I don't

even know how she got to the boat I

don't know any of that but she ended up

getting to the boat and uh just like you

pick up any child from like the back and

their their legs I picked her up um with

my life jacket on I picked her up she

had a life jacket on everything I picked

her up and as I picked her up I could

tell that it just this we were in a

really really bad spot

mhhm and so I swam with her kind of on

my chest and got her to the boat uh and

begged that we could say a quick prayer

right

there

and as soon as I got her to the back of

the boat I knew she was dead

I'm sure that was a horrible experience

and I'm really sorry that you your

family had

to experience that and I didn't even

know what to

[Music]

do so we tried to call

911 I was just holding her

and then the thought came to me that

Camille needs to hold

her CU I want her to hold her even

though we both knew that she was

gone and so I said Camille come here and

then I had Camille sit down and I just

handed stunny to

[Music]

Camille we're trying to call 911 no one

was answering one of the other boats

there we said go go up the up the lake

can try to try to contact

[Music]

9911 and we just sat there I sat there

and I just looked at Cil I looked at

the the father of the family that was

there with us and she he was just

holding Camille holding our

baby just in total

shock it's just I was almost kind of

like walking around the boat like what

what are you doing I was just like

looking at people and everyone's just no

words nothing to say everyone is just

like Jaw jaw dropped

just what do you

do so I started driving back uh I was

finally like well we got to get back no

matter

what so I started driving

back finally someone in in our boat was

able to get connected to

911

um they were asking him where they are

in the lake and instead of them trying

to communicate where we are in the lake

they didn't know where it was so I just

wanted to take someone out of the

equation so I just grabbed the phone and

started talking to

them

uh and I just repeatedly kept saying

she's dead it's there like there's

nothing and they're like no no where are

you at we need to send people and I just

kept saying they're they're dead she's

dead like there's there's no point to

send anyone so there was no like

helicopter anything that came no and

then another multiple other boats came

up to our boat while we were driving to

try to tell us where we should go or not

but I was already talking to 911 so I

was just going to go where I had told

him I was going to go

um Camille had tried to do CPR a little

bit on

sunny but we both knew that she was dead

and finally the 911 person gave up

trying to like convince me that I needed

to tell them where we were so they could

send people and they just finally said

okay just drive to where you're going to

go then M um and we pull up and they had

paramedics already the fire department

was there

uh they jumped on the boat they grabbed

her and put her

on on the dock I even like slowed down

in the no wake zone and I was like why

why why am I even slowing down I know

the legality but like the I got to get

her there so I just hammered it over to

where we were they came on and got her

and put her on the dock I was trying to

like make sure everything was fine with

the boat I was trying to make sure

everything's fine with the kids the kids

got rushed into a different uh room at

the marina so did Camille and I didn't

have shoes

on and I couldn't find my shoes and it

was burning H ground on fire hot yeah

and so I'm like walking around trying to

stick my feet into the water but then

I'm trying to go like be next to Camille

and help

Camille

and then the paramedic said something

about like a pulse or a false pulse or I

got a pulse or something and so I'm like

wait there's possibility that like there

could m a miracle could

happen so I started asking them

questions and they just they wouldn't

say anything to me mhm um I assume that

that's how they're trained too right um

but they wouldn't say anything to

me so I'm watching them work on

her trying to find my shoes or my phone

or

anything um and

then I have the police down there with

us trying to uh talk to us Camille felt

the need to start calling some different

people I was there when she called my my

family

um and she's somewhat hysterical but

still trying to communicate

that Sunny's dead or that there was this

huge boating accident and people don't

get it on the phone right they almost

think it's a prank when you call them or

they're like what what what what

happened what what and so I grabbed the

pH from her and I said there's a boating

accident she got

hit she's dead

um and then in order to get to the

hospital they told Camille that she

couldn't be in the ambulance which I

didn't understand um at the time I

didn't know that she got told

that I would have preferred that she had

been with sunny the entire time um and I

probably would have fought for that had

I known that she got told that so we had

to get our way to the hospital and we

had to go unhook the trailer and the

boat was going to be impounded and all

these different things um

I'm thankful to all

the all the paramedics the

firefighters the people at the

[Music]

marina I put them in a very bad

spot but they did things they needed to

to help my family which was

nice and then we got to the

[Music]

hospital

and another call that they

made uh on the way to the

hospital was to uh the person in our

church or leader in our church was

actually his wife I don't know if this

phone was on speaker phone but I

remember her verbatim response is this

is a joke you must be joking

mhm get to the

hospital and I tell us she's dead you

can see her the doctor come in the

doctor came in and said based off of all

of her injuries there was zero chance

that anything could have been done to

save

her

um so to go back on what actually

happened we don't really know what

happened and I know everyone's curious

of what happened I'm curious as to what

happened mhm we thought everybody had

gotten back in the boat when everybody

got back in the boat and even I believe

I believe that Sunny did get back in the

boat when we asked everyone to get back

in the boat I don't know if people were

still playing tag like the kids or

something or she thought she would be

funny or I don't I don't know exactly

what happened but before we ever took

off on the boat she got back in the

water I think happened the other

scenario is she never got back in and

she just stayed by the front of the boat

um you can't blame anyone anyone

individual for for that there were

multiple adults all on that boat

multiple people is my boat uh Camille

was there with us we all should have

checked no matter how many things we

have in place and thinking that everyone

was there she just wasn't so when we

took off she must have been in the

perfect spot that she needed to be and

the boat proceeded to go over her and

she got hit by the

propeller

um we saw or then so that's the

explanation of what happened even though

it's we don't really know right what

happened so we're there with sunny in

the

hospital um and they have her pretty

much covered up for the majority of her

body with uh a

sheet

and they bring in like a pastor or a the

hospital chap hosital chaplain thank you

that's the right word a

chaplain and she says let let's say a

prayer and I said no it's my daughter I

would like to say the prayer um and so

we knelt down next to

[Music]

Sunny and in general Christianity uh

most most religions the way that you

pray is you call upon God and then you

say things you're thankful for and

typically people say I'm thankful for

this day that's just the kind of rote

repetition giving gratitude for the life

that they have today yep

yeah

[Music]

and holding Sunny's lifeless hand

kneeling down

with Camille next to

me I said my dear heavenly

father and then in my mind I thought the

next words need to be I'm thankful for

this day but you couldn't say

it and I just went silent

I couldn't say

[Music]

anything the chaplain ended up helping

and saying a prayer

and I just sat there in

[Music]

shock I don't think I could ever say

[Music]

that I'm thankful for that

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