A boy drowned in Lake Erie after a freak wave hit him and dragged him out to sea while he was collecting shells on the beach.
Hunter Ebie, 11, was just paddling through ankle-deep water in Conneaut, Ohio, and was bending over to grab a shell when the wave caught him around 1:30 p.m. last Friday.
His family said Hunter’s mother, Diana, watched in horror and dove in to save him, but they were both caught in a high tide and she nearly drowned.
A heroic firefighter on the beach dove in and rescued Diana and then went back in after Hunter, but the boy did not resurface.
Hunter Ebie, 11, drowned in Lake Erie after a freak wave hit him and dragged him out to sea while he was collecting shells on the beach.
His family said Hunter’s mother Diana Ebie (pictured with Hunter on the left, his stepfather Sam Chambers and Hunter’s sisters) watched in horror and jumped in to save him.
Combined rescue teams used helicopters, drones, divers and boats to search the Lake Erie area and finally found Hunter’s body Tuesday afternoon.
The Coast Guard arrived at the Conneaut Township Park beach around 2 p.m., but there was no sign of the college football player.
Combined rescue teams used helicopters, drones, divers and boats to search the Lake Erie area and finally found Hunter’s body Tuesday afternoon.
Hunter’s stepfather, Sam Chambers, stayed in Conneaut and spent every day on the beach looking for his son.
‘Words cannot express. “He was a son, a brother, a grandson, a nephew, a cousin and overall a loving and caring child,” Hunter’s family said in a statement.
Chambers stayed in Conneaut and spent every day on the beach looking for her son.
Part of the large search involving four agencies along with local volunteers.
‘Words cannot express. “He was a son, a brother, a grandson, a nephew, a cousin and overall a loving and caring child,” Hunter’s family said in a statement.
The family of five is from Akron, Ohio, about 95 miles away, and the city of Conneaut rallied to support them during the search.
“Someone generously donated a place for the family to stay, the owner of an amazing restaurant made sure they had a beautiful hot meal,” said one resident.
“A local pastor opened the clothing bank and a local counselor went with them to look for warm clothes.”
Hunter’s family of five is from Akron, Ohio, about 95 miles away, and was on a beach trip.
Hunter’s classmates at Schrop Middle School and his teammates on the Spartans football team held a vigil at the local Lake Springfield.
Others stayed on the beach all night with Chambers as she waited for her son to return from the lake.
The family is raising money to pay for Hunter’s funeral.
Others stayed on the beach all night with Chambers as she waited for her son to return from the lake.
Hunter’s classmates at Schrop Middle School and his Spartans football teammates held a vigil at the local Lake Springfield, and the family’s neighbor, Wade Swain, is organizing a memorial convoy for Saturday.
A family friend too Make money to pay for Hunter’s funeral.