The wife of a boogie boarder found dead after disappearing under a wave was taking pictures of him during the tragic incident.
What started as a normal day at the beach turned into an unexpected tragedy as Jason Doyle disappeared in the water.
The 53-year-old caught a wave on a sandbar while boogie boarding before being swept under the water.
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His wife Christa Ciampaglia watched in horror from the shore after taking photographs of him on his board.
Moments later the board re-surfaced, but Jason did not – prompting a frantic search after she called the police on 27 Sep, as reported by Need To Know.
The boogie boarder disappeared in the water at one of his go-to spots at Ponce de Leon Park, in Punta Gorda, Florida
On 29 Sep, a body was found and identified as Jason.
The devastating loss has left his family and loved ones distraught with Christa still in a state of ‘shock’.
Cully Crawford has now started a GoFundMe in honour of her stepfather and to help support her widowed mother.
The fundraiser has a target of £26,000 ($35,000) and has already reached over £7,000 ($10,000) in donations in just three days.
The money will be used to pay for his funeral, memorial arrangements and any other expenses involved.
Any remaining money will be given to Christa to help her with living costs during this tragic time.
Cully Crawford said: “Jason was so much more than my stepdad.
“He was my friend, my mom’s loving partner of 15 years, and someone who meant so much to the people around him.
“One of my mom and Jason’s favourite things to do was spend time at the beach while he body-boarded and she took photos.
“Yesterday, while she was photographing him, Jason caught a wave on a sandbar, went under, and never came back up.
“His board surfaced moments later, but he did not.
“My mom witnessed the entire accident, and she is still in shock. It still does not feel real.
“As our family begins to process this loss, we are also facing the immediate expenses that come with such an unexpected tragedy.
“This fundraiser will help cover Jason’s funeral, memorial arrangements, and other related costs.
“Any funds remaining after those expenses will go toward helping my mom with living expenses and giving her some stability as she navigates this sudden transition.
“Jason and my mom shared their lives for 15 years, but because they were not legally married, she does not have some of the financial protections a legal spouse may have.
“Along with grieving the person she loved, she is now facing an uncertain path ahead.
“If you knew Jason, you know how deeply he was loved. and how deeply he loved my mom. Any donation, share, or prayer means so much to our family right now.
“Thank you for helping us honor Jason’s life and support my mom with care and dignity during this painful time.”
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