Video: A Father's Loss

It’s a loss I can’t—I can’t really put into words. I mean, if anybody could imagine the worst possible thing happening to them that they could ever imagine, and multiply it times a billion, it probably wouldn’t come close. She was out with friends. She was being pulled on the tube by the personal watercraft, and a 57-year-old man made the decision to drive in circles around the kids—around the personal watercraft and the tube, which Brittany was being pulled on. And he came around for the third time. She had fallen off because of the size of the wake that had been created, and he ran directly over her.

He had been out on the lake all day drinking, and so it’s questionable how impaired his judgment was. But regardless, just an incredible act that you would never imagine. Someone being so—lacking such common sense to be that reckless. Brittany was something very special. She was one that everybody wanted to be with and around. She walked into a room and lit it up.

People seem to lose their common sense when they get in a boat and get out on the water. I mean, things take place that you would never see happen on the road, when in fact, a watercraft—a watercraft is just as or more dangerous than an automobile. It’s a motorized vehicle, there’s no brakes. It’s a wonderful recreational sport that should be enjoyed by anyone that can and chooses to do so. But to do it with common sense, and be safe, and learn what is safe, and take boating safety courses, and respect the lives of other people.