Brian Warter,Erica Wishard Obituary, – The tragic incident occurred on Thursday, June 20, off Hutchinson Island, approximately 120 miles north of Miami, where a Pennsylvania couple, Brian Warter, 51, and Erica Wishard, 48, lost their lives in the Atlantic Ocean in front of their six children. The family was on vacation in Florida and had planned to spend the day at the beach.
While in the water, the couple and two of their teenage children were caught in a rip current. Despite the children’s efforts to help, the situation became too perilous, and they had to swim back to shore. Rip currents are powerful water currents that can drag swimmers away from the shore. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office reported that more than 100 individuals lose their lives to rip currents annually, according to the United States Lifesaving Association. Martin County Ocean Rescue managed to reach the couple, bring them to shore, and administer CPR before transporting them to a nearby hospital.
Despite the continued life-saving efforts, the doctors eventually declared the couple deceased. A Crisis Intervention Team Deputy provided support to the children as they awaited the arrival of other family members in Florida.
