Virginia High School Football Star Drowns in Lake Anna

[Sam]

A Virginia high school football player who had offers from various colleges (William and Mary for one) died in Lake Anna after their boat hit a sandbar and overturned.

 

Three other boys with him were rescued by a resident who witnessed the accident and took his boat out to rescue them.

 

Authorities said they were not wearing a PFD.

 

So sorry for his family. 

 

https://wset.com/news/local/high-school-football-star-dies-after-boat-capsizes-on-va-lake 

[GreenPig]

Awful. 

[NorcalBassin]

Absolutely terrible. Just wow.

[Falkus]

Prayers to the family ?

[Oregon Native]

So sad...so soon

[slonezp]

Another tragedy where a pfd could have changed the outcome. 

[MN Fisher]

17 minutes ago, slonezp said:

Another tragedy where a pfd could have changed the outcome. 

I was gonna say this as well - thanks Paul.

 

Maybe if these incidents were more widely reported, more people would actually WEAR their PFDs...then maybe we wouldn't lose so many people due to what amounts to stupidity.

[Bird]

Very sad news. 

That lake has a few very shallow sandbars that extend out quite a ways.....we almost hit one last summer. 

[Sam]

22 minutes ago, Bird said:

Very sad news. 

That lake has a few very shallow sandbars that extend out quite a ways.....we almost hit one last summer. 

Yep.  You are correct.

 

Our bass club members with boats know of them.

 

The Historic James has mud flats that we have to watch for, too.

[Armtx77]

Just wear the PFD!

 

Sad, sad news.

[geo g]

Very sad but happens often on unfamiliar waters.  Prayers go out to all the families involved.  This will have  a permanent affect on all these young men!

[schplurg]

Many lives would be saved if people wore helmets when they drive their cars, as most deaths are from head injuries, but nobody does.

 

It sounds like the boat operator probably didn't know what they were doing. That is a gigantic problem and always has been.

 

We can all say "wear the PFD", but I rarely see adults in boats wearing them. A driver towing someone on a wakeboard is virtually never in a PFD, at least in my experience. Nor are the passengers. My Dad lives on a lake and we've boated all our lives and I would notice if it were different. I'd say wearing a PFD is the exception, not the rule.

 

I'd also say that about anglers I see in bass boats, although it's hard to tell sometimes because some people wear the auto-inflate ones. People here, including myself, talk a lot about wearing PFDs but I just don't see that on the water.

 

That's just my experience. What percentage of adult boaters would you say wear PFDs where you boat and fish? I'll say less than 10%.

[RoLo]

 

Sadness offers little in the way of prevention, but failing to don a PFD provides the larger message.

 

Roger

[slonezp]

12 minutes ago, schplurg said:

Many lives would be saved if people wore helmets when they drive their cars, as most deaths are from head injuries, but nobody does.

 

It sounds like the boat operator probably didn't know what they were doing. That is a gigantic problem and always has been.

 

We can all say "wear the PFD", but I rarely see adults in boats wearing them. A driver towing someone on a wakeboard is virtually never in a PFD, at least in my experience. Nor are the passengers. My Dad lives on a lake and we've boated all our lives and I would notice if it were different. I'd say wearing a PFD is the exception, not the rule.

 

I'd also say that about anglers I see in bass boats, although it's hard to tell sometimes because some people wear the auto-inflate ones. People here, including myself, talk a lot about wearing PFDs but I just don't see that on the water.

 

That's just my experience. What percentage of adult boaters would you say wear PFDs where you boat and fish? I'll say less than 10%.

What you say is very true. When I was younger, I wore a PFD less often. Now that I'm older and half crippled, I put on the inflatable and wear it all day.

[Sam]

3 hours ago, schplurg said:

Many lives would be saved if people wore helmets when they drive their cars, as most deaths are from head injuries, but nobody does.

 

It sounds like the boat operator probably didn't know what they were doing. That is a gigantic problem and always has been.

 

We can all say "wear the PFD", but I rarely see adults in boats wearing them. A driver towing someone on a wakeboard is virtually never in a PFD, at least in my experience. Nor are the passengers. My Dad lives on a lake and we've boated all our lives and I would notice if it were different. I'd say wearing a PFD is the exception, not the rule.

 

I'd also say that about anglers I see in bass boats, although it's hard to tell sometimes because some people wear the auto-inflate ones. People here, including myself, talk a lot about wearing PFDs but I just don't see that on the water.

 

That's just my experience. What percentage of adult boaters would you say wear PFDs where you boat and fish? I'll say less than 10%.

Our club and Virginia state tournaments mandate the PFD be worn when the big motor is running.

 

The guys strip off their PFD and run to the front of the boat to put down the trolling motor and start fishing.

 

I keep my on at all times.

[Shimano_1]

Id venture to guess most of us are guilty of being wreckless when we were younger. Its sad that some don't get to make it out in one piece like we apparently did. Doesn't make us any smarter or them dumb just means we were lucky. I know I've put myself in some horrible situations and only fate or luck could be the reason I'm able to type this right now. Age tends to bring wisdom...this kid didn't get that chance. Prayers to his family and hopefully someone will learn from these things and maybe save a few lives!

[Bird]

Yes I'm very guilty of stupidity when life was young, 10ft tall and bullet proof. 

 

This really hits home as I've fished Anna quite often over the years and most recent trip I actually caught the attention of my fishing partner. 

 

He was racing across the lake in his Nitro, 250 Merc and I screamed and pointed " SHALLOW !!!! " , it was close.

 

Still thinking about it.....sad for this young man enjoying a lake I enjoy.