A sad event happened in Florida recently. Brian Warter, who was 51 years old, and Erica Wishart, who was 48, were on vacation there with their six children. They were swimming with two of their teenagers at Hutchinson Island on June 20th when something dangerous happened.
There was a strong current in the ocean, and Brian and Erica got caught in it. Even though their teenage children tried to save them, the current was too powerful. The Martin County Sheriff’s Office shared that the teenagers did everything they could to help their parents. Rescuers came quickly to try to save Brian and Erica, but despite efforts, they couldn’t be saved.
It’s a heartbreaking story of a family vacation turning into a tragedy.
Phillyburbs.com said the water was really dangerous that Tuesday afternoon. Martin County Fire Rescue representative Cory Pippen explained that red flags were up at the beach. These flags warn swimmers about strong rip currents in the water. Rip currents can be very dangerous because they pull swimmers away from the shore.
Larry Warter, who is Brian’s father, spoke to CBS 12 News. He shared that Brian and Erica had been together for more than a year and were going to get married. Erica had four children, and Brian had two. They wanted to wait until all their kids finished college before getting married. Their trip to Stuart, Florida, was a big deal for them.
“They were so excited about going down there,” Larry Warter said. “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.”
Brian Warter’s parents have shared how much they loved the couple. Larry Warter said, “You could tell just by being around them.” He talked about the strong love between Brian and Erica. Susie Warter, Brian’s mother, added that everyone who knew them loved them too, and everyone was excited about their future together.
The Warter family has been supported a lot by their community. Larry Warter said, “We’ve been amazed by all the help and support. We thought we were dealing with this alone, but we haven’t been.”
On a fundraising page, Wayne Sallurday wrote a beautiful tribute to Erica. He said, “Erica was an amazing person. She was a loving mother to two sons and two daughters, with her youngest son adopted when he was young.” The post also said Erica worked at an elementary school helping special needs children and later worked in the school library. She also spent a lot of time helping at her church. “We could keep talking about her, but you probably understand now. She was one of the nicest people you could ever meet.”
The GoFundMe page set up to remember them has raised over $60,000. This shows how generous the community has been in response to this sad event.
The National Weather Service has important advice on its website about rip currents. It explains that rip currents don’t pull swimmers underwater, but they can tire swimmers out quickly. It’s really important to stay calm.
The website says, “If you try to swim against a rip current, you’ll waste your energy. You need that energy to stay safe and get out of the rip current. Don’t try to swim straight to the shore. Instead, swim parallel to the shore until you’re out of the current’s pull. Once you’re free, swim towards the shore at an angle away from the current.”
The National Weather Service also suggests never swimming alone and following the rule, “If you’re not sure, don’t go in!”
This sad event reminds us how dangerous rip currents can be. It’s crucial to listen to safety advice when swimming.
“Quite Lacking in the Attractiveness Department,” Fans Divided After Finally Seeing Richard Gere’s Son
Richard Gere was present at the Cannes Film Festival alongside his wife Alejandra Silva and his 24-year-old son, Homer James Jigme Gere. Fans were captivated by Homer’s appearance, as the young man is very rarely seen in public.
Dressed in sharp black suits with matching bow ties and pristine white shirts, the father and son exuded elegance. Their joyful smiles and a heartfelt hug captured the attention of the cameras.
Online fans were astonished by Homer’s good looks. One user raved, “His eldest son is a cutie.” Another commented, “Beautiful guy!” A third remarked, “His son is gorgeous!”
That said, other fans still believed that the famous father looked better than the son. One observer wrote, ’’It seems like he inherited none of his father’s charm. [,,,] One might even question if they are truly related! Quite lacking in the attractiveness department, I must say.’’
Another remarked, ’’Beauty is a very subjective thing and I would say he looks nothing like his dad.’’
Homer, born in February 2000, was named after his paternal grandfather. This grandfather, who was Richard Gere’s father, lived until the age of 100 and passed away in 2023. Homer’s mother, Carey Lowell, is a model and actress who was Richard Gere’s second wife before they divorced.
Jane Fonda’s radiant and elegant appearance at Cannes 2024, at 86 years old, stunned fans. See the photos here.
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