Reminder that your days are not guaranteed!

[Franklin]

We spend so much time planning out 5/10/20/30 years etc but as has been discussed here many times we have no longevity guaranty. As some of you may have read a tragic boat accident happened in Georgia over the Memorial weekend. (google Savannah boat accident). The word tragic does not come close to defining this event. I am fortunate to live on the water and just happened to be near the accident. It was a calm clear morning and at 10:30 two boats traveling opposite directions collide. There is much speculation as to who and what is to blame or exactly what happened but the result were 5 people lost their life (4 in the same family-mother, father, 2 sons). The loss has been devastaing obviously to the families involved but also the local boating community. The parties involved were trained boaters and the thought that tragedy might hit was a million to 1. For me I can't shake the sound of sirens and choppers and a feeling of disbelief. I take away from this much sadness and a renewed feeling that we all should live our lives being thankful for each day we are given. I will never again debate more time over money. My choice is time. This was my wake-up call!

 

[razztazz]

As I was reading your account I thought "alcohol!" Just like every boating accident in my area. None don't involve alcohol. Sure and begorrah, I found several news stories about how they just arrested one of the boaters for boating under the influence. You can drive only so defensively.

 

[Sunset]

As I was reading your account I thought "alcohol!" Just like every boating accident in my area. None don't involve alcohol. Sure and begorrah, I found several news stories about how they just arrested one of the boaters for boating under the influence. You can drive only so defensively.

And it was ~ 10:30 am.... pretty early drinking and the fellow is in his 40's.

When we were young teenagers, friends got drunk when we boated at night and drove full speed onto rocks/land. Destroyed the boat, fortunately nobody was hurt.

It's the one thing when boating with small boat that I hate, some idiot in a large boat will come towards us, and I wonder if he sees us, or not. His speed often means in 3 minutes he will be on us. Those are the times I want something bigger than a 6 hp.

 

[Midpack]

I take away from this much sadness and a renewed feeling that we all should live our lives being thankful for each day we are given. I will never again debate more time over money. My choice is time. This was my wake-up call!

Very sad, and we should certainly be grateful for each and every day. But odds are we do have time, these life altering accidents and other events are exceptions - anecdotal evidence. So it's only prudent to plan for a good long life as that is what's most likely. Whenever I read a post telling someone else to retire sooner rather than later because there are no guarantees citing an example like this, I shake my head. Making decisions based on exceptions isn't high probability. YMMV

And while both boat operators were "trained boaters" - that goes out the window when one of them "was charged with boating under the influence in connection with the accident." That changes the odds of an accident considerably, and adds to the tragedy.

 

[Montecfo]

Very sad that his irresponsible behavior cost the lives of innocent people.

There are indeed risks we have no way to mitigate.

 

[NW-Bound]

It was likely that one of the boats was driven by someone drunk. Someone made a fatal mistake.

How about this couple who got killed by a falling tree while merely sitting at their picnic table? Killed just for being outdoors camping?

A Minnesota couple who had been together for over a decade were tragically killed during a camping trip in Wisconsin.

Police said their investigation revealed the couple were "seated at a picnic table when they were struck by the tree." They were both pronounced dead at the scene.

 

[old medic]

I'm sorry you were exposed to this tragedy, and glad to see your using it to gather perspective on life. My 1st exposure to a tragic accident was at 14, a young lady struck by a car died from her injuries before reaching the hospital. I felt helpless. At 16 I took a medical class, Volunteered for years, and in 87 started working FT as a Paramedic. Countless tragedies I have seen since have defiantly effected my view.
One of my favorite quotes.
Yesterday is a cancelled check, Tomorrow is a Promissory Note
Today is the only Cash you have, Spend it wisely.

 

[Luvtoride]

Very sad that his irresponsible behavior cost the lives of innocent people.

There are indeed risks we have no way to mitigate.

Terrible story and loss of innocent lives.

All I can think about is the comparison to drunk driving accidents and death. Most of us get in a car everyday and never know if we will have a tragic chance encounter with a drunk driver.

Like stated above though, we can’t make our decisions based on exception circumstances.

 

[jollystomper]

Very sad that his irresponsible behavior cost the lives of innocent people.

There are indeed risks we have no way to mitigate.

Very true. DW and I lost a good friend, and one of of sons also lost a good friend, in traffic accidents where the victims were just waiting at a stop light or a stop sign, not even moving, and drunk/impaired drivers ran into them at high speed.

As a non-boater, these type of boating accidents just amaze me. Perhaps because the times I have been on a boat ride, they have been in places with so much room in the water it seems that one would have to almost deliberately aim your boat at another to hit it. Of course, I guess that space also makes folks think they can go as fast as they want to...

But I agree this is a tragic exception, something to consider but not drive your decisions completely. A similar recent tragedy was the grandfather and 4 of his grandkids murdered while vacationing on their ranch by a felon on the run.

In my view I do my best to not be the cause of such tragedies from my own decisions and actions.

 

[target2019]

I've watched watercraft speed up and down the back bay behind my daughter's house. You can be the safest boat, motorcycle or auto driver and lose your life in an instant. Or cause it...

My brother was a boating enthusiast and spent many summers on the water. His boats grew more powerful through the years. He was very big on safety and very careful. I recall him being extremely cautious. Still, you're out-numbered during the popular seasons.

 

[Midpack]

Very true. DW and I lost a good friend, and one of of sons also lost a good friend, in traffic accidents where the victims were just waiting at a stop light or a stop sign, not even moving, and drunk/impaired drivers ran into them at high speed.

As a non-boater, these type of boating accidents just amaze me. Perhaps because the times I have been on a boat ride, they have been in places with so much room in the water it seems that one would have to almost deliberately aim your boat at another to hit it. Of course, I guess that space also makes folks think they can go as fast as they want to...

But I agree this is a tragic exception, something to consider but not drive your decisions completely. A similar recent tragedy was the grandfather and 4 of his grandkids murdered while vacationing on their ranch by a felon on the run.

In my view I do my best to not be the cause of such tragedies from my own decisions and actions.

I was an avid boater for 40 years. DUI on the water is FAR worse than it is/ever was on the roads. It's very common, but authorities are vastly outnumbered on the water so they can't really "catch" drunk boaters without an accident or grossly erratic behavior. We kept our distance for other boats at all times, there are raging drunks on the water all the time...small lakes, big lakes, oceans, rivers, etc.

 

[Souschef]

Years ago, I was having a discussion with my wife about where all our financial information is in case anything should happen to me. She said I was to young to worry about that.
I said that might be true, but a drunk wrong way driver could crash into me head on at 65 mph.
Some years later, I was a passenger in a car, where to my shock, an SUV rolling over and over was heading for us. There was no where to dodge it.
Fortunately, the airbags deployed, saving us from serious injury.
You just never know.

 

[Franklin]

OP here. For those who read the story I'll add a bit more info. The driver of Boat 1 was the skipper who was cited for BUI. $3500 bond as DNC has not concluded impairment as the cause. This skipper was an ex-Coast Guard employee. His passenger who is deceased was a 16 year veteran from the Army as a test pilot and served several tours in combat. The skip in Boat 2 was a father (now deceased) who had 3 children (one child survived) and a husband (wife perished). The father was an educator and ex-financial planner. One boat was privately owned while the other was fleet in a local boat club. So many unanswered questions remain.

 

[Midpack]

Witnesses told authorities two center console boats carrying nine combined passengers — six in one vessel and three in the other — crashed into each other head-on while traveling in opposite directions. Two people were pronounced dead at the scene and three were initially missing, McKinnon said.

While the DNR may not issue a report for several weeks, the story of this boat accident is all too common. I'm not sure there are "so many unanswered questions" other than details. For 5 people to be killed, some from each boat, and everyone was injured - one or both boats had to be operating a considerable speed. The tragedy occurred in broad daylight on open water involving two open boats (no cabins) - which means nine people, including two operators, weren't paying attention for an extended period of time. One of the operators was arrested for BUI. YMMV

Sad, tragic, but not entirely random?

https://people.com/crime/georgia-man-arrested-in-fatal-savannah-boating-accident/

 

[Markola]

It’s also a reminder to wear life jackets on boats, not that I always have myself. It’s clear that the bodies pulled from the bottom of the river were not wearing them.

 

[Winemaker]

It was likely that one of the boats was driven by someone drunk. Someone made a fatal mistake.

How about this couple who got killed by a falling tree while merely sitting at their picnic table? Killed just for being outdoors camping?

I had a coworker who's father perished when a tree fell on his car while driving home from church on a beautiful Sunday morning. Crippled up his wife, IIRC.

A service rep that I had known for 25 years and had taken underground for various oil tests, was killed several years ago when a tire came off a west bound truck while he was traveling east on the interstate. I'm sure he never knew what happened.

Live life to the fullest everyday; hold no grudge when you say goodbye.

 

[Dash man]

My best friend in sixth grade died with his brother and father when returning from a camping trip in their small plane and crashed a mile from home. I was invited to go on that trip. My mother had a bad feeling and didn’t let me go. I never questioned her instincts again. You never know.

 

[old medic]

It’s also a reminder to wear life jackets on boats, not that I always have myself.

I worked a double fatality boating incident that life jackets... and common sense... would have saved lives.... Family gathering and they rent a Pontoon Boat... in playing around, a 5 year old falls off the boat.... The child is wearing a life jacket, but 2 of the several that jumped in to "save" the floating child drowned.

 

[MarieIG]

Unfortunately, I didn't need a "reminder." A former co-worker just lost his child . . .

 

[NW-Bound]

People died of accidents all the time. Still, we shudder when hearing of stories like this boat accident, where a couple and their two children died in the same instance.

I just remember this horrific accident that happened in my state a few years ago. A family organized a day trip to go hiking near Payson to celebrate the birthday of the matriarch of the family. The party of 14 was walking through a dry creek when they were caught by surprise in a flash flood that came from a rainstorm 15 miles away.

The wave of water came so sudden they had no time to run for higher ground. Ten in the party were washed away in the turbulent flow. Their bodies were recovered the next day.

Who could have known a birthday party outing would end up such a horrific disaster?

The Garcia family, all 14 of them, had just crossed the East Verde River and were heading up a rocky embankment between the two thin streams of Ellison Creek, headed toward a series of pools uphill and upstream.

Suddenly, a 5-foot-high wave slammed down on them, knocking them off their feet and propelling them through chutes and waterfalls that would have killed them instantly.

Ten died: Selia Garcia Casteneda, 57; her daughter Maria Raya Garcia, 27; Maria's husband, Hector Miguel Garnica, 27; their three children, Emily, 3, Mia, 5, and Daniel, 7; Maria's sister Maribel Raya Garcia, 24, and her daughter, Erika Camacho Raya, 2; Maria and Maribel's brother Javier Garcia, 19; and another of Selia's grandchildren, Jonatan Leon, 13.

Over the next two days, their bodies were pulled from pools and piled debris; one of them was recovered days later and miles downstream.

But four family members survived: Julio Cesar Garcia and his girlfriend, Esthela Abigail Atondo, their year-old daughter, Marina, and Cesar's 8-year-old son, Acis Raiden.

Abigail and Raiden had been washed to the sides of the flood and were able to get out of the water. Cesar was carrying Marina, and he managed to grab hold of a tree at the confluence of the creek and the river. He stayed there, holding Marina, for two hours, until rescuers came.

 

[Calico]

I worked a double fatality boating incident that life jackets... and common sense... would have saved lives.... Family gathering and they rent a Pontoon Boat... in playing around, a 5 year old falls off the boat.... The child is wearing a life jacket, but 2 of the several that jumped in to "save" the floating child drowned.

My grandfather sailed his entire life, a great deal of it in Newfoundland and Labrador, in extremely dangerous waters (icebergs hidden in the depths).

His son (my father) also sailed his entire life, although in New England rather than Newfoundland and Labrador.

My father had three daughters - and we knew from the first time we set foot on a boat - ANY boat, not just his boats - that wearing a lifejacket was never optional. No lifejacket, no boat trip. And this went for short trips out to a swimming raft as well as overnight family trips on the boat.

My father drilled these rules into our heads:

1. Lifejackets are required for everyone on the water
2. One captain on board - do whatever he/she says, no questions asked
3. Anything can happen on a boat, at any time, so pay attention

If our father had ever told us to jump overboard, we literally would have done it, no questions asked. He was in charge. Fortunately it never came to that!

All of my paternal aunts and uncles also spent summers on the water, and never once did I see anyone drink alcohol on a boat. And there was plenty of drinking in that generation, believe me - daily "cocktail hours" in fact - but always on land, never on the water.

I have no idea if the difference is sailboats vs. power boats, because no one in my family owned a power boat.

I knew four generations of my extended family growing up, including dozens of cousins. When I was about 15, an 11-year-old second cousin drowned in shallow water in a calm river when their canoe overturned and they hit their head - you guessed it - no lifejacket. None of the adults or the young people in the group were wearing them. His twin sister never recovered from that trauma (she was there) and my sisters and I were forbidden to ever go on the water with those adults.

 

[pb4uski]

...
How about this couple who got killed by a falling tree while merely sitting at their picnic table? Killed just for being outdoors camping?

Many years ago DS and I went on a 10-day 110-mile canoe trip in the Canadian bush with a group of youths and a few adults. The first night we pitched our tent and there was a bad thunderstorm. We later heard that a couple islands away from us a tree fell on a couple people as they slept in their tent an killed them. It could have been us.

You never know.

 

[nap470]

It was likely that one of the boats was driven by someone drunk. Someone made a fatal mistake.

How about this couple who got killed by a falling tree while merely sitting at their picnic table? Killed just for being outdoors camping?

When I read about people killed in such randomly, freakish accidents like this one and others, it reminds me of my mother's firm belief. She always said that only God knows the time and place of your death, and when it's your time, it's your time. Believing that or not, humans do add risk by their actions such as alcohol, high risk activities, etc.

My sister lost her youngest son (19 at the time) several years back in a car accident. He didn't drink alcohol but would go to night clubs with friends who did drink. One night his friend that he came with met a girl and asked my nephew if he could get another ride home. My nephew caught a ride with some other friends but there were more people in the car than seatbelts. The driver had too much to drink and rolled the car off an embankment. My nephew was the only one in the car not wearing a seatbelt, and he was the only one killed or injured. He was thrown from the car. Everyone else didn't even need medical attention.

So sometimes I still wonder if mom is right.

 

[old medic]

I have no idea if the difference is sailboats vs. power boats, because no one in my family owned a power boat.

With sailing, my 2 observations are many get knocked overboard by a swinging boom.. but mainly the amount of time it takes to come about and get back to the person overboard.

 

[Markola]

Unfortunately, I didn't need a "reminder." A former co-worker just lost his child . . .

That’s horrible. I’m sorry. It’s happened in my family too, traumatizing everyone.