A tragic series of events unfolded at Panama City Beach in Florida, where five tourists lost their lives over the course of four days.
On Sunday, a 60-year-old woman from Missouri, Debbie Szymanski, drowned due to riptides, marking the fifth death in this unfortunate string of incidents, according to the New York Post.
Szymanski was vacationing with her family when she went out for a swim and failed to respond to calls from her family. They found her floating in the water and managed to bring her to shore. Emergency responders transported her to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Her death followed closely on the heels of three drownings on Friday. Harold Denzel Hunter, 25, Jemonda Ray, 24, and Marius Richardson, 24, all friends from Alabama, had just arrived at their Panama City Beach Airbnb, Alabama News detailed. Eager to enjoy the beach, they took a quick dip in the water but were tragically caught in a rip current and drowned.
Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford praised the bravery of the first responders who attempted the rescue. “The acts of courage by first responders were amazing,” he stated. “Many of our rescue swimmers with the Sheriff’s Office, Bay County Emergency Services, and Panama City Beach went into the dark and dangerous waters for over two hours to attempt to rescue and search for the young men. I worry about the emotional toll that these situations take on first responders as I know I’m struggling with it as well.”
The deaths of these young men, all fathers to young children, have deeply impacted the community. “I have such a heavy heart this morning about the loss of three young visitors to our community,” Ford expressed the following day. “I’m praying for their family and ask that you do the same. It is such a tragedy.”
The tragic week began with the death of 19-year-old Ryker Milton on Thursday, per KOCO News. Milton, who also got caught in a rip current and drowned, was remembered fondly by Hilldale Soccer.
“Today, we lost one of the most special kids to come through our program. It’s so hard to describe this young man in words that will do his life justice,” the soccer program said in a Facebook post. “From all of the coaches, players, parents, and more, we love you Ryker. It was an honor to coach you, play with you, and cheer you on. You changed all of our lives. We will miss you so much.”
In light of these tragic events, the sheriff’s office has issued stern warnings about the dangers of the water. “PLEASE STAY OUT OF THE WATER,” Ford posted on Facebook on Sunday after Szymanski’s incident. “The water can appear calm but underneath currents are treacherous today. It’s just too dangerous right now to swim.”
The community continues to mourn the loss of these individuals and heed the warnings about the hidden dangers beneath the seemingly calm waters of Panama City Beach.
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