Brian Warter, 51, and Erica Wishart, 48, parents of six, were on their first family vacation in Florida when they tragically lost their lives.
The couple were swimming together with two of their children on Hutchinson Island on June 20 when the catastrophe unfolded.
The teenagers were able to save themselves, but both Brian and Erica were helpless against the powerful ocean currents.
According to the statement issued by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office regarding the tragedy, the teenagers made courageous attempts to rescue their parents but were ultimately overpowered by the strong current. Emergency responders arrived quickly, initiating rescue operations. Tragically, even though they were rushed to a nearby hospital, Brian and Erica were pronounced dead by the medical personnel.”
On the day the couple lost their lives, the water conditions were notoriously dangerous, with red flags flying at the beach to warn swimmers of the dangerous riptide conditions, according to Cory Pippen, a representative from Martin County Fire Rescue. These flags are meant to alert beachgoers about potential water hazards like strong rip currents.
According to Brian’s dad, his son and Erica were together for over a year. They were engaged and were planning on getting married after all of their children finished college, according to CBS 12 News.
Their first vacation along with the kids was a significant moment in their lives.
“They were so thrilled, they couldn’t see straight about going down,” Brian’s father, Larry Warter, recounted. “This was the first time. This was the experiment. They had all six of their kids together. They had been planning it for over a month.”