Parents of 6 die in rip current while on first family vacation

Brian Warter, 51, and Erica Wishart, 48, were swimming with two of their teenage children on Hutchinson Island on June 20 when the situation turned perilous.

While the teenagers survived, their parents were unable to escape the rough ocean waters.

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office released a statement detailing the harrowing incident. According to the release, the teenagers made valiant efforts to save their parents but were ultimately unable to overcome the powerful current. Emergency services were quickly dispatched, and rescue efforts were initiated. Unfortunately, despite being transported to a nearby hospital, both Brian and Erica were pronounced dead by medical staff.

Phillyburbs.com reported that the water conditions were notoriously dangerous that Tuesday afternoon, with red flags flying at the beach to warn swimmers of the hazardous riptide conditions, according to Martin County Fire Rescue representative Cory Pippen. These flags are intended to alert beachgoers of potential dangers in the water, such as strong rip currents.

Larry Warter, Brian’s father, shared with CBS 12 News that his son and Erica had been in a relationship for over a year and were engaged to be married. Erica was a mother of four, while Brian was a father of two. The couple had planned to wait until all of their children finished college before tying the knot. Their trip to Stuart, Florida, was a significant milestone for them.

“They were so thrilled, they couldn’t see straight about going down,” 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.”

Brian Warter’s parents conveyed their deep affection for the couple. Larry Warter noted, “It was obvious if you were around them,” reflecting on the love shared between Brian and Erica. Susie Warter, Brian’s mother, added that the couple was beloved by everyone who knew them, and there was immense excitement for their future together.

The Warter family has received an outpouring of support from their community. “We’ve been overwhelmed by offers of help and everything else. We thought we were going through this alone and it hasn’t been,” Larry Warter shared.

On a fundraising page, Wayne Sallurday offered a touching tribute to Erica. “Erica was simply an amazing person. She was a loving mother of two sons and two daughters; with her youngest son being adopted at a young age,” the post read.

“Erica worked at an elementary school teaching special needs children, and later worked in her school library. She spent a significant amount of time helping at her local church. We could go on and on, but we think you get the picture by now. She was one of the nicest human beings you could ever meet.”

The GoFundMe page established in their memory has raise over $60,000, highlighting the community’s generous response to the tragedy.

The National Weather Service offers critical advice regarding rip currents on its website. It emphasizes that while rip currents do not pull swimmers underwater, they can quickly exhaust them. Staying calm is crucial.

“Trying to swim against a rip current will only use up your energy; energy you need to survive and escape the rip current. Do NOT try to swim directly into the shore. Swim along the shoreline until you escape the current’s pull. When free from the pull of the current, swim at an angle away from the current toward shore,” the website advises. The service also recommends never swimming alone and adhering to the motto, “If in doubt, don’t go out!”

This heartbreaking incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by rip currents and the importance of heeding safety warnings while swimming.